Skipping a hair wash day is no longer an option anymore. There is bad news for users of dry shampoo, these commodities have recently been recalled by the FDA. On October 21, 2022 dry shampoo aerosol products across the nation produced prior to October 2021 have been taken off the supermarket shelves. Why might this be? The culprit is an ingredient called benzene.

Benzene is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. Typically, exposure to this carcinogen occurs orally, through inhalation, and the skin. There is no issue with benzene, as many products contain it, but dry shampoo poses to contain elevated levels. It can lead to leukemia, blood disorders, and blood cancer of bone marrow.

Brands such as Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI, Bed Head, Rockaholic, and TREsemmé can be expected to be removed from the shelves.

No need to worry, this is not the first time aerosol products have been recalled. Last year Procter & Gamble recalled over 30 hair care products. These included, but were not limited to, dry shampoos, dry conditioners, and many deodorants. Specifically, more than a dozen Old Spice and Secret deodorants were directed to recall their products.

The solution is simple- change the propellants used to spray the product. Spray on personal care products contain propellants such as propane and butane, which are petroleum distillates. Benzene is a contaminant of the petroleum and the propellants have proven to be a source of benzene contamination.

“Given what we’ve seen, it unfortunately makes sense that other consumer-product categories, like aerosol dry shampoos, could be heavily affected by benzene contamination and we are actively investigating this area,” says Valisure Chief Executive Officer David Light.

The return date of these products is unknown, but the FDA has taken a firm stance on the dangers of dry shampoo aerosol products. The FDA also strongly urges users to stop using the affected products and find reimbursement for these products.