A study has detected traces of benzene, a chemical linked to leukemia and other diseases, in dozens of sunscreens and post-tan products, according to tests conducted by the Valisure laboratory.
The substance was detected in 78 of the 294 aerosols and lotions tested, according to Valisure, which has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall those products;
the regulatory body is reviewing the claim.
"The FDA takes seriously any safety concerns raised about the products we regulate, including sunscreens," the administration told CBS News.
However, dermatologists consulted by The Washington Post emphasize that this does not mean that these products are not safe.
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Joe Schwarcz, director of the Office of Science and Society at McGill University in Montreal, told the aforementioned newspaper that the presence of a chemical substance does not equal the existence of risk.
Thus, for example, breathing urban air for 24 hours can lead to ingesting twice the amount of benzene that the body could absorb in an application of sunscreen of about 10 milliliters.
"Benzene is a very volatile compound that evaporates quickly, so when you put it on your skin, I suspect that most of it will evaporate. You would have to spray yourself to get to a dangerous level," he concluded.
Benzene is a component of gasoline that is used in many chemical processes, such as in the extraction of oils from seeds and nuts or in the manufacture of detergents and pharmaceutical products.
It is found in the air from emissions from burning coal and oil, tobacco, cleaning products, gas stations, and vehicle exhaust.
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"Benzene is one of the most studied and worrisome human carcinogens known to science. Its association with the formation of blood cancers in humans has been demonstrated in numerous studies at trace levels of parts per million and below," stated David Light. , founder and CEO of Valisure, in a statement.
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"The presence of this known human carcinogen in products widely recommended for the prevention of skin cancer and that are used regularly by adults and children is of great concern," he added.
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According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States each year than all other cancers combined.
Regular use of sunscreen with at least a protection factor
15 can lower your risk.
Valisure emphasized to consumers that they should not avoid using sunscreen and should continue to do so.
"It is important for people, especially in the summer months, to understand that many sunscreen products Valisure tested were free from benzene contamination, and that they
are presumably safe and should continue to be used
, along with other measures to mitigate the risk of suffering skin cancer, "Dr. Christopher Bunick, associate professor of dermatology at Yale University, said in the company news release.
On pages 12 and 15 of this link you can see the list of products that had the highest levels of benzene, according to the study.
With information from CBS News and The Washington Post.
