Is Benzoyl Peroxide Safe? A Holistic Esthetician Explains...

Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) has been used for over 90 years in the treatment of acne. It inhibits c. acne bacteria growth in the pores and helps to break down oil (sebum), leading to a reduction in clogged pores.

Recently, benzoyl peroxide has come under question due to a new, scientific paper exploring its possible risk of decomposing into a gas called benzene. Here's what we know...

What is benzene?
Benzene is a chemical naturally found in and around volcanoes, forest fires, crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke (including second hand smoke) accounts for about half of the exposure to benzene in the United States.

According to the FDA:
"The health consequences of benzene exposure depend on the amount, route, and length of time of exposure, as well as age and preexisting medical conditions of the product user. 

For example, even with daily use of the recalled benzoyl peroxide acne products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low."

Benzene is considered unsafe because it can increase the risk for certain cancers, namely leukemia, at the following rates of lifetime benzene exposure:

• • 1 in 1,000,000 = 0.05 ppb
  • 1 in 100,000 = 0.5 ppb
  • 1 in 10,000 = 5 ppb 

OSHA limits exposure to benzene in the air in most workplaces to 1 ppm (part per million) during an average workday and a maximum of 5 ppm over any 15-minute period. 

What prompted all of this...
In March 2024, a company called Valisure released a study examining gaseous benzene in the air surrounding seven different benzoyl peroxide products:

• Equate Beauty 2.5% BPO cleanser 4oz
• Neutrogena 10% BPO cleanser 5oz
• CVS Health 10% BPO face wash 6.6oz 
  
• Walgreens 10% BPO cream 1.12oz
• Clean & Clear 10% BPO cleanser 5oz
• Equate Beauty 10% BPO acne wash 5.5oz
• Proactive 2.5% BPO cleanser 4oz

They incubated and tested these products for 28 days, 21 days, and 16.7 hours at the following temperatures respectively: 

• 98.6° F (30° C)
• 122° F (50° C)
• 158° F (70° C)

Their tests concluded that benzene was detectable for each of those products and that the higher the temperature, the higher the concentration of benzene was in the air. 

The FDA's recent tests...
In light of Valisure's testing, the FDA has conducted a series of tests on 95 acne treatment products containing benzoyl peroxide as well. They found six products with elevated levels of benzene:

• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment
• Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser
• Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Cream Benzoyl Peroxide 5%
• Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator
• Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream
• SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion
  
  

Testing summary:

Valisure found 100% of the 7 benzoyl peroxide products produced benzene (at very high temperatures of 98.6-158° Fahrenheit, or 37-70° C).

The FDA found 6.3% of the 95 benzoyl peroxide products they tested produced benzene.

The FDA also noted some of these six products were approaching their expiration dates. And they recommend consumers check their products and throw away products that are beyond their expiration date. 

The FDA's full test results will be available publicly in the next few months. And I plan to update this article at that time with more information.

Skin Nutritious test results!

As a deep advocate for health and zero desire for myself or my clients to exist in a toxic environment, I took it upon myself to do my own testing! 

I ordered a benzene gas detector from Bosean. I have tested for benzene in my clinic and in my storage space a few days over the course of several months. Temperatures averaging...

I have detected zero benzene in any of my spaces. 

This is incredibly important to me because one – I do not want to sell anything toxic to my customers... and two – I do not want to exist and breathe in a toxic environment myself. I am potentially even more at risk being in a space that has multiple benzoyl peroxide bottles.

Environmental Working Group on Benzoyl Peroxide:
I have long used the EWG to formulate my skincare line. As of today, March 17, 2025, EWG rates BPO risks as follows:

• • Cancer – low
  • Allergies and immunotoxicity - moderate
  • Developmental and reproductive toxicity - low
  • Use restrictions - high

The use restrictions come from European Union Directive, which restricts the use of BPO due to "serious eye irritation, if heated may cause a fire or explosion and may cause an allergic skin reaction (and being) very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects." And from ASEAN Cosmetics Association which restricts BPO in nail systems to professional use only.

In summary...

• Benzoyl peroxide's safety itself not currently in question. Whether or not BPO products can produce benzene is.
• Benzene is considered unsafe because it can increase the risk for certain cancers, namely leukemia, at the following rates of lifetime benzene exposure:
  • 1 in 1,000,000 = 0.05 ppb
  • 1 in 100,000 = 0.5 ppb
  • 1 in 10,000 = 5 ppb 
• Valisure found BPO to produce benzene at temperatures 98.6° and higher (100% of BPO products).
• The FDA found 6 out of 95 BPO products to produce benzene (about 6.3% of BPO products).

What we don't know...

• Does BPO produce benzene at normal room tempuratures?
• Do different containers have different test results? All products tested were in plastic (my Acne Clearing Treatment is bottled in glass).
• What are the FDA's full test results? (Check back in the next few months, I will be updating this page!)

My professional take:
It is my heartfelt intention to provide my clients and customers with the kindest, most effective acne skincare products with a deep focus on non-toxicity. 

I do not want to cause anyone's skin harm in using skincare products. I do not offer any skincare that I wouldn't be comfortable using myself. I take the possibility of any harmful/cancerous products very seriously.

I would of course love if the world would be eliminated of the things that cause acne – hormonally imbalancing foods like cow dairy, added sugar, alcohol, chronic stress, poor sleep, etc. (talk about cancer promoters...). This would make the need and helpfulness of a product like benzoyl peroxide obsolete. 

Benzoyl peroxide (in the right amount and in the right, moisturizing and non-toxic base!) helps tremendously with hormonal acne. And there are few ingredients that can compete with the powers of BPO. 

With all its powers, benzoyl peroxide cannot stop hormonal acne completely on its own. We must change what is hurting our body and align bring it back into aligned balance. There is no substitute for true health. 

We live in a modern world full of acne triggers. And in those moments where we lapse either by choice or mistake, skincare products like benzoyl peroxide can help us not fall down and breakout out completely.

Something I do feel concerned about is people ditching benzoyl peroxide without a holistic health plan, breaking out, and then turning to medications with worse side effects than BPO like accutane, antibiotics, spirnolactone, or birth control.

If you want to live a life where you don't depend on skincare and/or medications to keep you clear, but rather get to the root cause and heal your acne naturally – let's talk! That's what I LOVE to do. It's how I healed my acne and kept my skin clear for 15+ years. I am a believer and living proof, and here to lift up as many people as possible out of this suffering.

For any client or customer who wants to move away from BPO, I would recommend switching to my Retinol Renew Gel at night instead. It isn't as powerful against hormonal acne, but it's the best switch available and it does still help.

While my benzoyl peroxide continues to test at 0ppm benzene, I will continue to monitor and responsibly carry it.

Responsible benzoyl peroxide use...

• If any product you use is named in a recall, remove it appropriately from your environments.
• I highly recommend to not store benzoyl peroxide products in temperatures above 98.6° Fahrenheit (30° Celcius)
• Keep your benzoyl peroxide products in a cool space
• ...and continue to stay tuned for any scientific updates!

In love, health, and community,

Elise May, CN + LE, is a holistic esthetician, acne nutritionist, and founder of Skin Nutritious. Since 2011, she has helped over 1,800 clients finally overcome acne with a unique blend of holistic skincare, treatments, and wellness coaching.

Work with Elise at her San Francisco acne clinic or virtually worldwide! View services + book online here.

References:

• https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/700694-BENZOYL_PEROXIDE/
• https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/limited-number-voluntary-recalls-initiated-after-fda-testing-acne-products-benzene-findings-show
• https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/benzene.html
• https://www.echa.europa.eu/web/guest/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.002.116
• https://www.hsa.gov.sg/docs/default-source/hprg-cosmetics/annexes-of-the-asean-cosmetic-directive-(updated-jun22).pdf
• https://assets.bouldercounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/benzene-health-impacts-monitoring.pdf
• https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(24)02155-9/fulltext
• https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5327592/acne-treatment-recall-walgreens-la-roche-posay-proactiv
• https://bosean.net/solution/benzene_gas_detector.html
• https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/frequently-asked-questions-benzene-contamination-drugs