Johnson & Johnson is voluntarily recalling all lots of five NEUTROGENA and AVEEN aerosol sunscreen product lines at a consumer level.

Internal testing identified low levels of benzene in some samples of the products.

The only sunscreen products impacted are aerosol products, specifically:

• NEUTROGENA Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen,
• NEUTROGENA Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen,
• NEUTROGENA Invisible Daily defense aerosol sunscreen,
• NEUTROGENA Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen, and
• AVEENO Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen.

Product images and lot information is available on www.Neutrogena.com and www.Aveeno.com.

Benzene is classified as a human carcinogen, a substance that could potentially cause cancer depending on the level and extent of exposure. Benzene is ubiquitous in the environment. Humans around the world have daily exposures indoors and outdoors from multiple sources. Benzene can be absorbed, to varying degrees, by inhalation, through the skin, and orally.

A spokesperson for the company said:

“Based on exposure modeling and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) framework, daily exposure to benzene in these aerosol sunscreen products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling all lots of these specific aerosol sunscreen products. 

“While benzene is not an ingredient in any of the sunscreen products, it was detected in some samples of the impacted aerosol sunscreen finished products. The company is investigating the cause of this issue, which is limited to certain aerosol sunscreen products.”