Unilever Issues Voluntary U.S. recall of select dry shampoos due to potential presence of benzene. (FDA)
Unilever United States issued a voluntary recall of several brands of dry shampoo aerosol products due to “potentially elevated levels” of benzene, a human carcinogen.
According to a company announcement posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, brands include Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI (Rockaholic and Bed Head), and TRESemmé. The recalled products were produced before October 2021, and have been distributed nationwide.
Benzene, a human carcinogen, can be found in many places in the environment. People are exposed to the agent daily, both indoors and outdoors, by inhalation, orally, or through the skin.
Exposure can result in cancers, including leukemia, blood cancer of the bone marrow, and blood disorders, which can be life-threatening.
Unilever U.S. said that 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.”
“An internal investigation identified the propellant as the source, and Unilever has worked with its propellant suppliers to address this issue,” according to the announcement.
The company said it is recalling the products “out of an abundance of caution” and “has received no reports of adverse events to date relating to this recall.”
Retailers have been asked to remove the recalled products from their shelves. The affected products and the consumer UPC codes are provided in a list (pdf).
“Consumers should stop using the affected aerosol dry shampoo products and visit UnileverRecall.com for instructions on how to receive reimbursement for eligible products,” the announcement reads.
“Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.”
