The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that shampoo company Unilever has voluntarily recalled a number of their dry shampoos over potentially elevated levels of benzene, a chemical known to cause cancer.
Benzene is a carcinogen and exposure to the chemical by inhalation, orally, or through skin can cause cancers like leukemia and blood cancer to the bone marrow, as well as other threatening blood disorders.
According to Unilever, the recall has been done out of an abundance of caution. “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 statement says. The company says it has received no reports of “adverse events” related to the recall from anyone.
Which shampoos are recalled?
According to the FDA, only select lot codes from the following shampoos produced prior to October 2021 have been recalled by Unilever:
- Dove Dry Shampoo Volume and Fullness
- Dove Dry Shampoo Fresh Coconut
- Dove Dry Shampoo Fresh and Floral
- Dove Dry Shampoo Ultra Clean
- Dove Dry Shampoo Invisible
- Dove Dry Shampoo Detox and Purify
- Dove Dry Shampoo Clarifying Charcoal
- Dove Dry Shampoo Go Active
- Nexxus Dry Shampoo Refreshing Mist
- Nexxus Inergy Foam Shampoo
- Suave Dry Shampoo Hair Refresher
- Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Refresh and Revive
- Tresemme Dry Shampoo Volumizing
- Tresemme Dry Shampoo Fresh and Clean
- Tresemme Pro Pure Dry Shampoo
- Bed Head Oh Bee Hive Dry Shampoo
- Bed Head Oh Bee Hive Volumizing Dry Shampoo
- Bed Head Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo
- Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo
To check if your shampoo has one of the recalled lot codes, click here. The recalled products were distributed nationwide in retail stores and online in the United States and Canada, and retailers were notified to pull them from store shelves. An investigation determined the propellant in the products as the source spreading the chemical and is being addressed by Unilever.
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What to do with the dry shampoo?
If you have the dry shampoo in your possession, the FDA recommends you stop using it and visit UnileverRecall.com for instruction on how to receive your reimbursement or refund. If you bought multiple of the recalled products, a receipt or photo of the lot code on the bottom of the products will be needed as proof of purchase. You can also contacted Unilever U.S. directly by phone to ask any questions by calling (877) 270-7412, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
If you have had reactions using this product, report them to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online or through regular mail by downloading the form here and returning it to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.
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