When the weather gets warmer and people start heading to the beach, they often pack their sunscreen and liberally apply it throughout the day.
In doing so, they are trying to protect their skin from the effects of the sun and the damage it may cause, including premature aging, sunburn, and even cancer.
It is always a good idea to protect yourself from the damaging effects of the sun but it’s also good to recognize when you may be doing more harm than good in some cases.
This recently came to light when five types of sunscreen were recalled by Johnson & Johnson. The reason? Because an ingredient included in the sunscreen, benzene, could lead to skin cancer.
Some additional caution also needs to be taken because other popular brands of sunscreen are also made by Johnson & Johnson, including Neutrogena and Aveeno. Four of the sunscreens made by Neutrogena and one made by Aveeno are included in the recall.
The following is a list of the products by Neutrogena and Aveeno that are part of the recall.
Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen
Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen
Neutrogena CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen
Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen
Neutrogena UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen
According to claims by Johnson & Johnson, the products do not have enough benzene that they would cause cancer. The products are being recalled out of an abundance of caution, and currently, the store shelves nationwide are being cleared of the products.
You should also be aware that using a sunscreen lotion is not a problem. All of the products, including all SPF levels and bottle sizes are aerosol sunscreens. If you have any, you should stop using them without delay.
A press release was issued from Johnson & Johnson, which said: “While benzene is not an ingredient in any of our sunscreen products, it was detected in some samples of the impacted aerosol sunscreen finished products. We are investigating the cause of this issue, which is limited to certain aerosol sunscreen products.”
If you have already purchased any of these products, stop using them right away. You can dispose of them properly and contact the JJCI Consumer Care Center at 1-800-458-1673 for a refund.