Medications & Supplements/Topical Products

Walgreens and CVS Acne Treatment Creams Recalled for Benzene Contamination

Agency Publication Date: March 18, 2025

Summary

Fruit Of The Earth, Inc. has recalled approximately 213,015 tubes of Walgreens Maximum Strength Tinted Acne Treatment Cream and CVS Health Concealing Acne Treatment Cream. Both products contain 10% benzoyl peroxide and are used as over-the-counter acne medications. This recall was initiated after testing revealed the presence of benzene, a chemical contaminant. Consumers should stop using the recalled creams and contact their healthcare provider if they have experienced any health issues related to these products.

Risk

Benzene is a known human carcinogen. Exposure can occur through inhalation, mouth, or skin absorption, and long-term exposure to benzene is linked to an increased risk of leukemia and other serious blood disorders.

What You Should Do

This recall affects 0.65 oz tubes of Walgreens Maximum Strength Tinted Acne Treatment Cream and 1 oz tubes of CVS Health Concealing Acne Treatment Cream containing 10% benzoyl peroxide.
Identify your product by checking the lot number and expiration date printed on the tube or carton. See the Affected Products section below for the full list of affected codes.
If you have health concerns, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Return any unused product to the place of purchase for a refund, throw it away, or contact Fruit Of The Earth, Inc. for further instructions.
Call the FDA Consumer Complaint hotline at 1-888-723-3332 (1-888-SAFEFDA) for additional questions or to report an adverse event.

Your Remedy Options

You have 2 options:

Option 1: Full Refund

How to: Contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist for guidance, or return any unused product to the place of purchase for a refund

Option 2: Dispose of Product

How to: Throw the product away. For prescription medications, a DEA take-back location or pharmacy mail-back program is preferred when available.

Affected Products

Product: Walgreens Maximum Strength Tinted Acne Treatment Cream (0.65 oz)by Walgreens

Variants: 10% Benzoyl Peroxide, 18.4g tube

Lot Numbers:

4970743B

4970743C (Exp 3/31/2026)

9722793A (Exp 9/30/2026)

8363513A (Exp 12/3/2026)

2822284A (Exp 8/31/2027)

2143554A (Exp 12/31/2027)

Distributed by Walgreen CO., 200 Wilmot Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015

Product: CVS Health Concealing Acne Treatment Cream (1 oz)by CVS Health

Variants: 10% benzoyl peroxide, 28 g tube

Lot Numbers:

4970743A (Exp 3/31/2026)

9712793A (Exp 9/30/2026)

8363513B (Exp 12/31/2026)

1391304A (Exp 5/31/2027)

5101574A (Exp 5/31/2027)

1292084A (Exp 7/31/2027)

1292084B (Exp 7/31/2027)

1292084C (Exp 7/31/2027)

2892384A (Exp 8/31/2027)

6203044A (Exp 10/31/2027)

6203044B (Exp 10/31/2027)

2153564A (Exp 12/31/2027)

2153564B (Exp 12/31/2027)

2163564A (Exp 1/31/2028)

Distributed by CVS Pharmacy, Inc

Additional Information

Agency: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Event ID: 96465

Status: Active

Manufacturer: Fruit Of The Earth, Inc.

Sold By: Walgreens; CVS Pharmacy

Manufactured In: United States

Units Affected: 2 products (100,970 tubes; 112045 tubes)

Distributed To: Nationwide

Were You Affected by This Recall?

If you or a family member were harmed by this recalled product, you may have legal rights. Consider consulting a consumer protection attorney to understand your options for compensation.

Find an Attorney

This is general information, not legal advice. Go Backs is not a law firm and does not provide legal services.

AI-Enhanced Content: The summary, action steps, and risk assessment on this page were generated by AI from official government recall data to improve readability. This is not legal or medical advice. Always refer to the official agency sources below for authoritative information.

Sources: FDA iRES · Raw API Response

openFDA Disclaimer: This recall information is sourced from the openFDA API. Do not rely on openFDA to make decisions regarding medical care. While we make every effort to ensure that data is accurate, you should assume all results are unvalidated. Refer to the openFDA terms of service for more information.

Summary

What You Should Do

This recall affects 0.65 oz tubes of Walgreens Maximum Strength Tinted Acne Treatment Cream and 1 oz tubes of CVS Health Concealing Acne Treatment Cream containing 10% benzoyl peroxide.

Identify your product by checking the lot number and expiration date printed on the tube or carton. See the Affected Products section below for the full list of affected codes.

If you have health concerns, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Return any unused product to the place of purchase for a refund, throw it away, or contact Fruit Of The Earth, Inc. for further instructions.

Call the FDA Consumer Complaint hotline at 1-888-723-3332 (1-888-SAFEFDA) for additional questions or to report an adverse event.

Your Remedy Options

You have 2 options:

Option 1: Full Refund

How to: Contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist for guidance, or return any unused product to the place of purchase for a refund

Option 2: Dispose of Product

How to: Throw the product away. For prescription medications, a DEA take-back location or pharmacy mail-back program is preferred when available.

Affected Products

Product: Walgreens Maximum Strength Tinted Acne Treatment Cream (0.65 oz)by Walgreens

Variants: 10% Benzoyl Peroxide, 18.4g tube

Lot Numbers:

4970743B

4970743C (Exp 3/31/2026)

9722793A (Exp 9/30/2026)

8363513A (Exp 12/3/2026)

2822284A (Exp 8/31/2027)

2143554A (Exp 12/31/2027)

Distributed by Walgreen CO., 200 Wilmot Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015

Product: CVS Health Concealing Acne Treatment Cream (1 oz)by CVS Health

Variants: 10% benzoyl peroxide, 28 g tube

Lot Numbers:

4970743A (Exp 3/31/2026)

9712793A (Exp 9/30/2026)

8363513B (Exp 12/31/2026)

1391304A (Exp 5/31/2027)

5101574A (Exp 5/31/2027)

1292084A (Exp 7/31/2027)

1292084B (Exp 7/31/2027)

1292084C (Exp 7/31/2027)

2892384A (Exp 8/31/2027)

6203044A (Exp 10/31/2027)

6203044B (Exp 10/31/2027)

2153564A (Exp 12/31/2027)

2153564B (Exp 12/31/2027)

2163564A (Exp 1/31/2028)

Distributed by CVS Pharmacy, Inc