Walgreens Products Recalled in All 50 States: Full List of Items Impacted

A nationwide recall has been issued for several acne treatment products sold at Walgreens due to concerns over elevated levels of benzene, a known carcinogen.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that multiple over-the-counter skincare treatments, including those from Walgreens, La Roche-Posay, and Proactiv, have been voluntarily pulled from store shelves across the U.S.

Why It Matters

The FDA's findings indicate that benzene, a chemical linked to leukemia and other blood disorders, was found at higher than acceptable levels in certain acne treatment products.

Even though the risk from these specific products is deemed low, repeated exposure to benzene over time can pose serious health risks. Exposure to benzene can occur through inhalation, skin absorption or ingestion.

What To Know

According to the FDA and company statements, the following Walgreens products have been recalled nationwide:

• Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser (Lot number: 23 09328, expiration date: September 2025)

• Walgreens Tinted Acne Treatment Cream (Lot number: 49707430, expiration date: March 2026)

The recalls are being conducted at the retail level, meaning retailers are instructed to remove products from store shelves and online market places.

This means that the recall does not specifically instruct consumers to take actions regarding products currently in their possession, although it is still recommended that consumers avoid using them and dispose of any expired products.

Exposure to benzene can increase the risk of cancer. However, the FDA has emphasized that the risk of developing cancer from exposure to benzene in these products is low.

The recall process is ongoing, with manufacturers and retailers working to ensure all affected products are removed from circulation nationwide.

Other Products In The Recall

There are a number of other products affected by the recall, including:

• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment (Lot number: MYX46W, expiration date: April 2025)

• Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief Cream Benzoyl Peroxide 5 percent (Lot numbers: V3305A and V3304A, expiration date: October 2025)

• Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator (Lot number: V4204A, expiration date: July 2025)

• SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion (Lot number: 2430600, expiration date: March 2025)

Newsweek has contacted La Roche-Posay and SLMD for comment outside of normal working hours.

What People Are Saying

Walgreens said in a statement to Newsweek: "Our suppliers, working in conjunction with the FDA, initiated two voluntary recalls, impacting a limited number of units. This was done out of an abundance of caution and the safety of our customers remains our top priority."

Proactiv said in a statement to Newsweek: "Alchemee, LLC, the maker of Proactiv products, is initiating a voluntary recall of two (2) lots of Proactiv® Emergency Blemish Relief and one (1) lot of Proactiv® Skin Smoothing Exfoliator. These three lots are being voluntarily recalled after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ('FDA') provided information to Alchemee regarding test results for benzene content of samples in these lots. For those who purchased these products directly from www.proactiv.com, customers can contact Proactiv® Customer Care to return the product for a refund or replacement. For purchases made from other sites or retail stores, please contact the site or store you purchased from for assistance with product returns and refunds or replacements."

La Roche-Posay issued a statement to ABC: "At La Roche-Posay, product safety is our highest priority. While our Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment has a long-standing history of safe and effective use, recent testing revealed minimal traces of benzene in one lot of the product. Although these trace levels do not pose a safety risk, we are committed to upholding the highest quality standards. Therefore, in close coordination with the FDA, we have proactively decided to remove the limited remaining units of the current formula of Effaclar Duo from retailers."

David Cole-Hamilton, a professor at University of St Andrews, in Scotland, told Newsweek: "Benzoyl peroxide is not itself very dangerous. Benzene on the other hand is a highly potent carcinogen and is dangerous through ingestion, skin absorption inhalation and injection."

He added: "Benzoyl peroxide is made from benzoyl chloride, which comes originally from toluene and benzoic acid so not from benzene. It should not react to form benzene so any benzene contamination would be from an external source."

What's Next

Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they experience any problems related to the use of these products, and any adverse reactions should be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

Update 03/20/25, 09:03 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Professor David Cole-Hamilton.

Update 03/20/25, 11:36 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Walgreens.

Update 03/20/25, 12:28 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Proactiv.