BENZOYL PEROXIDE
Antiacne Agent; OXIDISING
Also listed as
DIBENZOYL PEROXIDE; PEROXIDE, DIBENZOYL; ACNEGEL; AZTEC BPO; BENZOPEROXIDE; BENZOYL PEROXIDE (ACGIH:OSHA) ; BENZOYL SUPEROXIDE; BENZOYLPEROXID (GERMAN) ; BENZOYLPEROXYDE (DUTCH) ; BZF-60; CADAT BPO
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
| Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
 | Restrictions & warnings |
 | Allergies/immunotoxicity |
 | Contamination concerns |
| Other strong concerns for this ingredient: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Ecotoxicology, Data gaps |
|
See products containing BENZOYL PEROXIDE | |
About BENZOYL PEROXIDE: Benzoyl Peroxide is the organic compound. In the United States, Benzoyl Peroxide may be used as an active ingredient in OTC drug products. When used as an active drug ingredient, the established name is Benzoyl Peroxide. See "Regulatory and Ingredient Use Information," regarding the labeling nam es for U.S. OTC Drug Ingredients in Volume 1, Introduction, Part A. See Reported Ingredient Functions-The Cosmetic Drug Distinction, in Regulatory and Ingredient Use Information, Volume I, Part A.
BENZOYL PEROXIDE has reported used in the following product types: acne treatment (59); facial cleanser (17); exfoliant/scrub (4); bar soap (3); shaving cream (2); facial moisturizer/treatment (2); nail glue (1); mask (1); toners/astringents (1); moisturizer (1)
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity | A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases, 1991 |
Restrictions & warnings
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at very low doses | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1982 | |
| show more | ||
Occupational hazards
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to very low doses | National Library of Medicine HazMap | |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to very low doses | European Union - Classification & Labelling | |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 | |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | |
| show more | ||
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Cancer Research 1985 | |
| show more | ||
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at low doses | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | |
| show more | ||
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at high doses | Song S, Kim S-H, Bae H, Kim M et al, 2003 |
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food | |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 593 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Miscellaneous
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Occupational hazards related to handling | European Union - Classification & Labelling |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | DIBENZOYL PEROXIDE;;BENZOYL PEROXIDE | •Explosive •Extreme risk of explosion by shock, friction, fire or other sources of ignition •Oxidizing •May cause fire •Irritant (eyes, skin, or lungs) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • Food additive: bleaching agent or flour-maturing agent • Food additive: permitted as optional ingredient in a standardized food • refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 137 • Cereal Flours • refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 133 for milk to be used in certain cheeses |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | •Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | •Skin Sensitizer - An agent that can induce an allergic reaction in the skin or lungs: Yes; •Dermatotoxin: Skin Burns; •PEL (OSHA) - Permissible exposure limit (OSHA): 5 mg/m3; •LC50 - Lethal concentration in 50% of animals tested: 14000 mg/m3; •TLV (ACGIH) - Threshold limit value (ACGIH): 5 mg/m3; •Flammability (NFPA) - NFPA flammability code: 0 = will not burn; 1 = must be preheated; 2 = high ambient temp required; 3 = may ignite at ambient temp; 4 = burn readily: 4: burns readily; •MAK - Maximum Allowable Concentration (Federal Republic of Germany): 5 mg/m3, inhalable fraction; |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | •IARC Group 3 (no cancer link) |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | DIBENZOYLPEROXIDE | •Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs |
| A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases, 1991 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | •Immunotoxicity hazards: suspected |
| Song S, Kim S-H, Bae H, Kim M et al, 2003 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | Histopathologic alterations and weight changes in male and female reproductive organs |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | PEROXIDE, DIBENZOYL | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected aquatic toxicity. |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • o |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1996 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1982 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1996 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1982 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Archives of Toxicology 2004 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • cancer - Facilitates action of known carcinogen (mouse TDLo) • cancer - skin tumors (mouse TDLo) |
| RTECS®- ARCO Chemical Company Report 1982 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • respiratory - Cyanosis (rat LD50) • liver - Other changes (rat LD50) • kidney or renal system - Other changes in urine composition (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- Cancer Research 1985 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage ( human oth) • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Inhibition ( human oth) • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems ( human oth) |
| RTECS®- Cancer Research 1985 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage ( human oth) • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Inhibition ( human oth) • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems ( human oth) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1992 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Mammalian Somatic Cells ( human kdy) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 2000 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • cancer - Facilitates action of known carcinogen (mouse TDLo) • cancer - skin tumors (mouse TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1984 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (rat lvr) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1992 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Mammalian Somatic Cells ( human kdy) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 2004 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (mouse skn) |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1984 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (rat lvr) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Morphological Transform (mouse fbr) |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Morphological Transform (mouse fbr) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1984 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA repair (Escherichia coli ) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: (mouse fbr) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1984 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA repair (Escherichia coli ) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: (mouse fbr) |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research 1983 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (mouse oth) |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research 1983 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (mouse oth) |
| RTECS®- Science 1981 | BENZOYL PEROXIDE | • cancer - skin tumor formations - equivocal (mouse TDLo) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| European Union - Classification & Labelling | CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP. |
| FDA Food Additive Status | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006. |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens | IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases. Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html, Nordic Council of Ministers (Nordic Allergy Project). Kriteriedokumenter fra nordisk allergiprojekt - vurdering af 50 kemiske stoffers evne til at forarsage allergi, en litteraturgennemgang. Nord 1991:51. Copenhagen, 1991. |
| Open scientific literature | Song S, Kim S-H, Bae H, Kim M et al. Combined Repeated Dose and Reproductive/Developmental Toxicities of Benzoyl Peroxide. J. Toxicol. Pub. Health (official Journal of Korean Society of Toxicology) 2003; 19 (2): 121-131. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 | RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J., Prague, Czechoslovakia, Avicenum, 1986 -,324,1986 |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia". (Hazardous substances. Galogen and oxygen containing substances), Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1994 -,542,1994 |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia". (Hazardous substances. Galogen and oxygen containing substances), Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1994 -,543,1994 |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia" 1994 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva, galogen I kislorod sodergashie organicheskie soedinenia". (Hazardous substances. Galogen and oxygen containing substances), Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1994. -,543,1994 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1996 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- 1920- 34,68,1996 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1982 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- 1920- 62,458,1982 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1996 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- -1920 34,68,1996 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1982 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- -1920 62,458,1982 |
| RTECS®- Archives of Toxicology 2004 | RTECS®- Archives of Toxicology. (Springer-Verlag, Heidelberger Pl. 3, D-1000 Berlin 33, Fed. Rep. Ger.) V.32- 1974- 78,139,2004 |
| RTECS®- ARCO Chemical Company Report 1982 | RTECS®- ARCO Chemical Company Report. (3801 West Chester Pike, Newton Square, PA 19073) JUN1982 |
| RTECS®- Cancer Research 1985 | RTECS®- Cancer Research. (Public Ledger Building, Suit 816, 6th & Chestnut Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19106) V.1- 1941- 45,2522,1985 |
| RTECS®- Cancer Research 1985 | RTECS®- Cancer Research. (Public Ledger Building, Suit 816, 6th & Chestnut Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19106) V.1- 45,2522,1985 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1992 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 1980- 13,1783,1992 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 2000 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 1980- 21,811,2000 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1984 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 1980- 5,1547,1984 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1992 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 13,1783,1992 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 2004 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 25,431,2004 |
| RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London) 1984 | RTECS®- Carcinogenesis (London). (Oxford Univ. Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford OX8 1JJ, UK) V.1- 5,1547,1984 |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 1987- 37,231,2001 |
| RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 2001 | RTECS®- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 41 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10003) V.10- 37,231,2001 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1984 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 133,161,1984 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 577S,1,2005 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1984 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- -1964 133,161,1984 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 2005 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- -1964 577S,1,2005 |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research 1983 | RTECS®- Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research. (Waverly Press, 428 E. Preston St., Baltimore, MD 21202) V.1- 24,108,1983 |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research 1983 | RTECS®- Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research. (Waverly Press, 428 E. Preston St., Baltimore, MD 21202) V.1- 1954- 24,108,1983 |
| RTECS®- Science 1981 | RTECS®- Science. (American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science, 1333 H St., NW, Washington, DC 20005) V.1- 1895- 213,1023,1981 |
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