Plenty of us make sacrifices in the name of beauty, but increasingly, we’re also getting more educated about the health effects of the products we apply to our bodies. The start of Breast Cancer Awareness month is a good reminder to study what’s on the ingredients label, but also to be extra discerning. A recognizable corporation’s new recall update explains why the content aren’t always clear by the time they hit the shelves.
On October 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was terminating a widespread recall of dry spray deodorants that had been in effect for roughly three years. The compromised products, produced by Procter & Gamble (P&G) and sold under the popular brand names Old Spice and Secret, were pulled from the market in November 2021 after traces of the cancer-causing chemical benzene was discovered.
“Benzene is classified as a human carcinogen,” explained a press release that was issued by P&G at the time of the initial recall. “Exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, orally, and through the skin and it can result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders which can be life-threatening,” the company wrote.
Though benzene is not an ingredient that’s actively included in the formulas of such products, it can be produced as a byproduct of butane propellants, which help to create a pressurized environment inside of spray canisters. “Based on exposure modeling and the cancer risk assessments published by the U.S 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,” the press release further states.
The tainted products were sold nationwide in the United States, and in at least 22 other countries around the world, including Canada, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Bhutan, Timor-Leste, Maldives, Fiji, US Virgin Islands, Trinidad, Peru, Saint Marteen, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Belize, Santa Lucia, Aruba, Dominican Republic, and Guyana. The initial recall included 17 spray deodorant products, but the most recent update on the recall documented a total of 19 recalled products:
- Old Spice, PURE SPORT, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Spray, Topical spray can, Net WT 6.0 OZ
- Old Spice, SWEAT DEFENSE, STRONGER SWAGGER, Dry Spray, 48 Hour, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant, Topical Spray Can, Net WT 3.8 oz
- Old Spice, SWEAT DEFENSE PURE SPORT PLUS, Dry Spray, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant, Topical spray can, Net WT 3.8 oz
- Old Spice, SWEAT DEFENSE ULTIMATE CAPTAIN, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant, Topical spray can 3.8 oz
- Secret, powder fresh, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 24%), Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, Topical spray can Net Wt., (a) 4 oz, 6 oz
- Secret, Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Waterlily, Topical Spray Can, Net Wt 3.8 oz
- Secret, Dry Spray, Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%, Antiperspirant, Lavender, Topical spray can Net Wt 3.8 oz
- Secret, Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Light Essentials, Topical spray can Net Wt 3.8 oz
- Secret, Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Rose, Topical spray can Net Wt 3.8 oz
- Secret, OUTLAST, Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Completely Clean, Topical spray can 3.8 oz
- Secret OUTLAST Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Protecting Powder, Topical spray can 3.8 oz
- Old Spice Pure Sport 2021 Gift Set, Contains: Old Spice Pure Sport Body Wash 18 Fl Oz (532 mL), 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner 13.5 Fl Oz (400 mL), and Old Spice, SWEAT DEFENSE PURE SPORT PLUS, Dry Spray, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant, Topical spray can, Net WT 3.8 oz
- Old Spice, PURE SPORT, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Spray, Topical spray can, Net WT 6.0 oz
- Old Spice, SWEAT DEFENSE PURE SPORT PLUS, (Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%), Anti-Perspirant, Topical spray can, Net WT 3.8 oz
- Old Spice, SWEAT DEFENSE ULTIMATE CAPTAIN, Aluminum Chlorohydrate 23.5%, Anti-Perspirant, Topical spray can 3.8 oz
- Secret, powder fresh, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 24%), Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, Topical spray can Net Wt., (a) 4 oz, 6 oz
- Secret, Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%) Antiperspirant, Waterlily, Topical Spray Can, Net Wt 3.8 oz
- Secret, Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Lavender, Topical spray can Net Wt 3.8 oz
- Secret Dry Spray, (Aluminum chlorohydrate 23.5%), Antiperspirant, Rose, Topical spray can Net Wt 3.8 oz
The FDA uses a three-tiered system to categorize the risk level of its recalls, and the various deodorants were all categorized as Class I and Class II, representing the highest and second highest risk levels.
Class I is defined as “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” while Class II denotes “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
Though the recall has now concluded, the incident highlights the importance of considering the ingredients and possible byproducts found in aerosolized sprays and other beauty products. Sunscreen products and dry shampoos have also come under fire for benzene contamination, suggesting a widespread cause for concern. Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and Unilever are just some of the well-known and widely trusted brands that have discovered benzene in their products.
Though the latest expiry dates associated with the recalled deodorant products were in September 2023, it’s possible that some consumers may still have these items in their homes. If you believe you have a compromised product in your possession, discard it and call the Consumer Care team at 888-339-7689. If you believe you have experienced adverse effects related to the usage of these products, contact your doctor to discuss your concerns.
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