WhimsY Body

Several brands of a popular type of skin product were recalled earlier this year because they were reported to have elevated levels of benzene. In April, some Proactive acne-control skin products were included in a nationwide recall, along with other brands of that type of product. This comes shortly after another recall for the same reason involving deodorants. Here is a list of recent recalls due to benzene. You can also go to the FDA for current information about all recalls. .

Benzene is a toxic chemical derived from petroleum. It is not an added ingredient to the products. The hypothesis is that other ingredients used in the products, such as ethanol, are contributing to the benzene contamination in the product.

Benzene exposure is linked to decreased number of red blood cells and increased risk of leukemia. Companies are not required to test for contaminants like benzene, which means a higher risk to the consumer that is not well-informed.

One of the best ways I have found to protect myself from risks like benzene is to carefully review labels of the products that I use. I’m the one you will see in the store, pulling out my reading glasses and sometimes Googling the ingredients. My rule of thumb is that if I can’t easily pronounce the name of the ingredient or it contains numbers, it is probably not good for me. Another rule of thumb is the number of ingredients: any more than about 10 and I get very skeptical.

I also create my own products. From toothpaste to face scrub, my base products are from my own kitchen.

I tend to have dry skin, am prone to allergic reactions to most products, and am 60+ years old. My skin has changed and will continue to change as I age. I need products that are moisturizing and have antioxidant and anti-aging components.

We are bombarded regularly by food recalls. Many of them are related to common allergens, like nuts and eggs, that were not clearly stated on the label and won’t affect those who are not allergic but can kill those who are. Sometimes the recalls are for really dangerous bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella that can kill or make those who consume the product seriously ill. These stories become part of the mainstream news cycle very quickly. I don’t feel that the same level of alerts occurs for skin products even though the result of tainted or carcinogenic ingredients in skin products can have the same, if not more devastating effects. The most recent occurrence involves the presence of benzene, a cancer-causing agent, in specified skin care products like acne treatments.

We have to scrutinize what we put on our skin as much as we do with what we eat and drink. A few common sense rules of thumb: read labels and know what the ingredients are and what effects they are meant to have, consider natural alternatives to ingredients, stay away from products that have added color,