Benzoyl peroxide, also known as BPO, has long been the standard treatment for acne patients, with prescription prescriptions and over-the-counter products widely available. However, on Wednesday 3/6, Valisure, an independent quality assurance lab, published a study that the incredibly popular ingredient could release "unacceptably high levels" of benzene, a known carcinogen. They have since issued a petition for the Food and Drug Administration to weigh and recall products containing benzoyl peroxide, but the FDA has not commented at this time.

It begs the question: How should you worry about the products currently sitting on your bathroom shelf?"We are all constantly exposed to small amounts of benzene through our environment. Even if you are exposed to the amounts stated in the report, the damage will take years, not days or weeks," Dr. Munheeb Shah, a board-certified dermatologist, shared via Instagram. "Benzoyl peroxide products have never been shown to cause cancer in humans, but it does not mean that it is impossible."

Additional exposure to benzene is certainly not a good thing, but a board-certified dermatologist Ph.D. Jessica Dowling told Marie Claire, "No one should panic."This is disheartening news about highly effective drugs, but these results were discovered by 1 lab. There was no official recall of these products and no public response from the FDA."We will need more confirmation data."

Having said that, it is never wrong to err on the side of attention. Therefore, while legitimate warnings are likely to occur across the cosmetics industry and recalls become commonplace, it is advisable to retire benzoyl peroxide products until more information is available. The good news: There are plenty of alternative acne-fighting ingredients available on the market that can deal with both clogged pores and bacteria. "Some of these ingredients that are available over the counter are glycolic acid, sulfur, azelaic acid, salicylic acid and hypochlorous acid," Dr. Dowling said. "As always, if you're using any of these products as a prescription, it's a good idea to consult a dermatologist.