At the end of May 2021, Valisure released a report that they found benzene, a known carcinogen that can cause leukemia, in a number of sunscreens and after-sun care products from major brands. Valisure is an independent lab based in Connecticut that does consumer watchdog testing for many medications.
The Valisure reports of which sunscreens contain benzene:
Summit Dermatology organized lists:
Most of the products Valisure tested did not contain benzene, so we at Summit Dermatology wanted to organize the lists published by the testing company so it would be easy to identify if your sunscreen and after-sun care products are safe. The FDA has not yet forced any product recalls based on this testing, so many of these products are still on the shelves. Below are attachments for three lists we put together: (1) the list of products with high levels of benzene, (2) the list of products with detectible but low levels of benzene, and (3) the list of products which did not have any detectible levels of benzene and are considered safe from this particular carcinogen:
General recommendations:
In general, sunscreens that were found to have high levels of benzene were almost all sprays. Also, the majority of these were chemical sunscreens rather than mineral sunblock (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). Mineral sunblock is considered the safest type of sunscreen, especially for young children. Using lotion sunscreen that you have to rub in by hand is recommended over a spray sunscreen, and the results of the Valisure benzene testing are another reason to choose lotion sunscreen rather than a spray. Sunscreen spray typically causes uneven skin surface coverage, which can leave areas of the skin between spray droplets inadequately protected from the sun unless the product is rubbed in by hand. Sunscreen lotion is effective at reducing the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, which can lead to photoaging of the skin and can increase your risk for skin cancer.
What is benzene, anyway?
Benzene is an organic solvent used for oil extraction from seeds and nuts, used for manufacturing pharmaceuticals, and found in the air from coal, oil, and gasoline emissions or from burning wood or a wax candle. Benzene is highly volatile, meaning that most of it would evaporate very quickly from the surface of the skin after sunscreen is applied. It is unknown if any of the benzene found in certain sunscreens is even absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream.
Is sunscreen safe?
Benzene is not an ingredient in sunscreens. The fact that the Valisure tests found trace amounts of benzene present in certain batches of sunscreen is because it is likely a contaminant. Manufacturing mechanisms are likely in place to avoid this contaminant in the future. The bottom line is that the health risks of trace levels of contaminants in sunscreens like benzene are unknown and likely very low, while the risk of skin cancer due to prolonged and/or intense sun exposure without protection from sunscreen is well studied and quite high. Not only are sunscreens considered very safe, but they are an important part of protecting yourself from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun.