The multinational personal care products company Unilever has announced that it will withdraw from the market some spray shampoos as a precautionary measure against the possibility that they contain benzenea chemical that can cause blood canceras leukemia. Although it is a decision made by the company itself, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA, for its acronym in English) collects the Unilever alert on its website.
Benzene, also known as benzolIt is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. It evaporates quickly into the air and is only slightly soluble in water. Also, it is highly flammable. Benzene is mainly used as a solvent in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as an initial and intermediate product in the synthesis of numerous chemical substances, as well as in gasoline.
“Exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, by mouth, and through the skin. It can cause cancers, including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, and blood disorders that can be a danger to life“, explains the statement, which also states that humans are daily exposed to benzene through different sources.
70% contained benzol
valuea testing laboratory based in New Haven, Connecticut, United States, tested 148 batches of 34 brands of aerosol dry shampoo and found that 70% it contained benzene. The company filed a petition with the United States Food and Drug Administration to urge the withdrawal of products with said substance.
Although the affected products are sold only in the United States and Canada, there is a possibility that they have reached Spain and other European countries online or through persons residing in North America or who have visited one of its countries as tourists.
The recalled products are Dove, TRESemmé, Suave, Nexxus and TIGI brand shampoo sprays. Among them, bottles of Dove Dry Shampoo Volume and Fullness, Dove Dry Shampoo Fresh Coconut, Dove Dry Shampoo Fresh and Floral, Dove Dry Shampoo Ultra Clean, Dove Dry Shampoo Invisible, Dove Dry Shampoo Detox and Purify, Dove Dry Shampoo Clarifying have been withdrawn Charcoal, Dove Dry Shampoo Go Active, TRESemmé Dry Shampoo Volumizing, TRESemmé Dry Shampoo Fresh and Clean, TRESemmé Pro Pure Dry Shampoo, Suave Dry Shampoo Hair Refresher, Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Refresh and Revive, Nexxus Dry Shampoo Refreshing Mist, Nexxus Inergy Foam Shampoo , Bed Head Oh Bee Hive Dry Shampoo, Bed Head Oh Bee Hive Volumizing Dry Shampoo, Bed Head Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo, Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo.