Dry shampoo recalled due to potential cancer-causing chemical concerns

More than 30 types of dry shampoo have been recalled by Proctor & Gamble after potential cancer-causing chemicals were found in products including Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Waterl<ss, Old Spice, and Hair Food.

Many people who cannot go a week without washing their hair, use dry shampoo to give their style an instant refresh, but some products have been found to contain traces of a potential cancer-causing chemical.

It’s the second product recall to affect a dry conditioner spray and aerosol dry shampoo product following the previous discontinued aerosol dry shampoo products from Old Spice and Hair Food, due to the presence of benzene detected in some products.

The product recall is voluntary and the firm is asking shoppers who have bought any of the affected products, which are said to contain benzene – a human carcinogen, of which exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, orally, and through the skin and it can potentially result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders which can be life-threatening.

Proctor & Gamble issued some reassurance to shoppers, telling them, ‘Based on exposure modeling and the cancer risk assessments published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (IRIS database), daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.’

Therefore, the recall is being issued as a caution.

The FDA has issued details online of the affected products with images, product names, UPC, and production code ranges, and the affected products are packaged in aerosol cans. The first four numbers of the production code, found under the bottom of the can, are the only ones necessary to determine if your product is impacted and falls within the ranges outlined.

Procter & Gamble has admitted it began a review of its total portfolio of aerosol products following recent reports that indicated traces of benzene is in some aerosol sprays and it added, ‘While benzene is not an ingredient in any of our products, our review showed that unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can. We detected benzene in aerosol dry shampoo spray products and aerosol dry conditioner spray products. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the consumers who use our products and the quality of the products we ship.’

It confirmed, ‘No other products from Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Hair Food, and Waterless are in the scope of this recall and such other products may continue to be used as intended, including those aerosol dry shampoo spray products with production code ranges different from those specifically communicated. The vast majority of our products are not part of this recall, including mousses, hairsprays, liquid shampoos, liquid conditioners, styling products, treatments, and unaffected aerosol dry shampoo sprays.’

It’s understood that the recalled products were distributed nationwide in the US through retail outlets and online, as a result, some items might have been shipped to the UK.

Retailers have been alerted to remove recalled products from shelves. Our brands will also offer reimbursement for consumers who have purchased products impacted by this recall. Consumers should stop using and appropriately discard the affected aerosol dry conditioner spray products and aerosol dry shampoo spray products.

Consumers can visit Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Hair Food, Old Spice, or Water L<ss haircare, for more information about the impacted products and learn how to receive reimbursement for eligible products.