Most people use sunscreen to protect themselves from getting burned by the sun, never expecting the lotion could cause them to burst into flames. But the risk of catching on fire is what prompted the maker of Banana Boat sunscreen to recall several of its spray-on products.

Energizer Holdings announced Friday that it is pulling 23 varieties of its Banana Boat UltraMist sunscreen products, saying that a defective spray nozzle could be allowing too much of the lotion to be applied to the skin. If a person who uses the recalled products comes into contact with an open flame while the skin is still wet, the highly combustible products could catch fire.

“If a consumer comes into contact with a flame or spark prior to complete drying of the product on the skin, there is a potential for the product to ignite,” Energizer said in a statement.

There have been five reports of fire-related injuries caused by the flammable UltraMist sunscreen, four in the United States and one in Canada. One of the reported injuries involved a man who used the spray and caught on fire after he stood near a hot barbeque grill. Another case involved a woman who caught on fire while welding. Both of those incidents resulted in serious second- and third-degree burns.

The safety recall encompasses Banana Boat UltraMist Sport, UltraMist Ultra Defense, and UltraMist Kids products. According to Energizer, more than 20 million of the products have been sold since first becoming available in 2010.

“Consistent with existing warnings on all continuous spray suncare products, consumers should take care to avoid sources of ignition when using these products, should not smoke while using these products, and should not use these products in the presence of a flame or spark,” the company added.

Although the product labeling warns about the combustible nature of the sunscreen, some dermatologists and safety experts worry that almost nobody reads such labeling before using the product.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises consumers to avoid using the recalled products. Questions and complaints about the recall should be directed to the manufacturer’s Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-SAFESUN (1-800-723-3786) Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 7:00PM Eastern, or by sending an email to: SUNCARE@customerfollowup.info.

Sources:

U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Banana Boat

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