Johnson & Johnson announced a recall of five of its sunscreen products Wednesday over a potential cancer risk. Samples of Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen and four Neutrogena sunscreen versions were found to contain low levels of benzene. J&J said it has notified the Food and Drug Administrations of the recall.
The four versions of Neutrogena sunscreen include the Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, the CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen, the Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen and the UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen. J&J urged consumers to stop using the sunscreens immediately, and use an alternate sunscreen to protect themselves from the skin cancer melanoma. According to Johnson & Johnson, melanoma cases are increasing worldwide. The majority of cases are caused by excessive sun exposure.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, benzene is a highly flammable, widely used chemical that can cause cancer with repeated exposure. It can also damage the immune system and prevent cells from functioning properly.
The chemical’s effects vary by whether a person accidentally inhales or ingests it or gets it on skin and clothing. Symptoms range from dizziness and irregular heartbeat to convulsions and, at very high levels, death.
Johnson & Johnson said the benzene was found after testing by the company and an independent laboratory. It is investigating how the chemical got into the products.
The recall includes all sizes and all levels of sun protection factor. You could find the products in retailers nationwide.
J&J said it’s working to get all lots of the five products removed from store shelves. You can get a refund by calling J&J’s Consumer Care Center at 1-800-458-1673. More information is available at the websites for Neutrogena and Aveeno.
In the recall announcement, J&J said “use of these products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.” Officials said they voluntarily decided to recall the products “out of an abundance of caution.”