An online pharmacy company that conducts independent testing of consumer products has reported the use of benzene in many sunscreens. In a published article, the company claims to have found residues of the potentially harmful ingredient in 78 sunscreen and tanning products. Experts have now petitioned the drug regulatory authority to impose stricter rules on the use of the drugdangerous active ingredients in cosmetic productsto promote.
Potential danger in sun protection from the use of benzene
Benzene is a liquid hydrocarbon commonly found in petroleum, cigarette smoke and coal tar. It has been used as a solvent in a variety of products for many years. Researchers have already found that the substance causes cancer and especially leukemia. Because of its toxic properties, the FDA has banned the chemical's intentional introduction into commercial products. However, the agency allows the sale of cosmetic products made with it if they offer a “significant therapeutic advance.” Provided that the content in the product is at or below 2% and the introduction of benzene into the product is unavoidable. However, the agency currently has no guidelines regarding benzene content in sunscreen products.
The examining pharmacy laboratory has so far been behind efforts to remove the cancer-causing NDMA from heartburn medications in 2018. The company also recently led efforts to recall the use of benzene in hand sanitizers. The experts now discover that the products were advertised as a way to prevent skin cancer in adults and children. They also found that some of the products they tested had levels higher than the FDA-mandated limit of 2%. The team also points out that most of the products they tested had no detectable levels of benzene. This is clearly not an unavoidable byproduct of production. Inyour articleThe authors also point out that the FDA recently discovered that sunscreen chemicals can be easily absorbed through the skin. They are now calling on the relevant authorities to ban any amounts of benzene in sunscreens.
