Experts of the independent American laboratory Valisure tested 294 creams, gels, and lotions for sun protection and found benzene, the most dangerous carcinogen, in almost a third of them.
According to Medportal.ru, benzene is a very toxic and carcinogenic substance, which is also contained in the exhaust gases of cars. It is used in the manufacture of certain plastics, rubbers, dyes, detergents, and pharmaceuticals.
Long-term exposure to benzene on the human body can lead to serious consequences, and chronic poisoning with this substance often causes the development of anemia and leukemia.
The Valisure laboratory said that of the 300 tanning products tested, 78 contained benzene. In 14 products, the concentration of benzene was the limit for medicines that cannot be manufactured without it. These were mainly sprays.
According to experts, benzene is not an obligatory component for the production of sunscreens, especially since it is not contained in most of the tested products.
The lab has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to withdraw the 78 drugs from sale and conduct their own investigation. A complete list of benzene-containing product names is published in the statement.
