From Valisure’s Independent Laboratory Report Showing 5-12 Parts Per Million In CeraVe Cleansers To Blood Cancer Links Including Acute Myeloid Leukaemia; The Skincare Contamination Case That Has Yet To Produce An FDA Response
According to Geo.tv, AboutLawsuits.com, and Cosmetics Business, CeraVe and its parent company L’Oréal are facing at least six class-action lawsuits alleging that certain acne products containing benzoyl peroxide (BPO) degrade into benzene; a known human carcinogen directly linked to blood cancers including acute myeloid leukaemia, acute lymphocytic leukaemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
The legal suits were filed following an independent laboratory report by Valisure alleging that products including the CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser are inherently unstable.
The lawsuits claim that BPO products contain benzene at levels hundreds of times the FDA’s conditional limit of 2 parts per million. Valisure has petitioned the FDA to recall the affected products and revise industry guidance, but the regulator has yet to respond.
Independent testing found CeraVe cleansers with benzene levels ranging from 5 to more than 12 parts per million. The degradation accelerates at elevated temperatures including standard human body temperature and warm bathroom storage conditions where these products are typically kept.
As of 2026, no final court-approved settlement has been announced. The cases remain active in multiple federal courts.
To check out our previous coverage on consumer health, product liability, and FDA regulation, read our articles here.
