Dry shampoo recalled over possible cancer-causing ingredient

Dry shampoo aerosol items that have been marketed all throughout the country are being recalled by Unilever due to the possibility that they contain high quantities of benzene, which is a human carcinogen. The recall is the most recent of six that have taken place so far this year due to the presence of the chemical that causes cancer in a variety of items, including sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and deodorant.

The company announced in a notice that was published on Friday by the United States Food and Drug Administration that it is recalling dry shampoo aerosol products manufactured before October 2021 under the brand names Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI (Rockaholic and Bed Head), and TRESemmé. These products were included in the recall. You can get a comprehensive list of the impacted items as well as their UPC numbers here.

According to the statement, an internal investigation found that the problem was caused by the propellant, and Unilever worked with the suppliers of the propellant to find a solution.

Those who have already bought the aerosol dry shampoo products that have been recalled should immediately cease using them and contact the UnileverRecall.com website for details on how to get compensation.

This is the second time this year that Unilever has had to recall a product because of concerns that it may contain benzene. The multinational business is responsible for the distribution of about 400 brands all over the world, including Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

Benzene may cause a variety of malignancies, including leukemia and a kind of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow, in addition to other life-threatening blood illnesses. Unilever said in a statement that daily exposure to the levels of benzene found in the products that were recalled “would not be expected to have significant health effects.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States, benzene is found in both gasoline and cigarette smoke. Benzene is one of the most widely produced compounds in the United States. People are most often exposed to the chemical by inhaling it when it is present in the air. However, they may also take it into their bodies through handling petroleum products, as well as by consuming or drinking food or drinks that have been polluted.

Unilever recalled two types of Suave 24-hour protection aerosol deodorants at the end of March after an internal investigation found that some samples had slightly more benzene than usual.

This year, items from four more businesses have been recalled after the presence of benzene was discovered in test samples. In 2017, more than a half dozen product recalls were issued for the same reason.

Procter & Gamble decided to recall all of the aerosol dry hair and conditioner sprays after finding benzene in some of them in December. The products were sold under six different brands.