Recall alert: Dry shampoos may contain cancer-causing chemical, FDA says

WASHINGTON — Some dry shampoos may contain a cancer-causing chemical, prompting a voluntary recall, federal health officials announced last week.

>> Read more trending news

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Unilever United States issued a recall Tuesday for certain lots of aerosol dry shampoos from popular brands – including Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI and TRESemmé – because they may contain “elevated levels” of the carcinogen benzene. The company said the affected products were produced before October 2021 and distributed nationwide, WKRC reported.

Benzene has been linked to cancers such as leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, as well as life-threatening blood disorders, according to a Unilever news release. The chemical was found in the propellant of the recalled shampoos, the company said, adding that humans are exposed to the chemical daily because it is “ubiquitous in the environment.”

“Based on an independent health hazard evaluation, daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences,” the release added. “Unilever U.S. is recalling these products out of an abundance of caution. Unilever has received no reports of adverse events to date relating to this recall.”

If you purchased any of the recalled products, stop using them and visit UnileverRecall.com to request reimbursement, the company said. Anyone with questions should call Unilever at 1-877-270-7412.

©2022 Cox Media Group