The maker of Banana Boat sunscreen is recalling some of its spray-on products in Canada and the U.S. following reports that some people have caught on fire after applying the lotion and coming into contact with an open flame.
Energizer Holdings Canada said there have been five reports of people catching fire after applying the sunscreen in the last year. Four burn cases were reported in the U.S. and one in Canada.
The company is pulling two types of continuous spray Banana Boat sun care products from stores across Canada - Banana Boat Ultra Defense SPF 60 Spray Sunscreen and Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 60 Spray Sunscreen.
The company says there is a "potential risk of product igniting on the skin if contact is made with a source of ignition before the product is completely dry." The products were sold nationally from January 2010 through Sept. 20, 2012.
The recall is larger south of the border, with the company pulling 23 varieties of Banana Boat UltraMist formulations from shelves.
The U.S. recall includes UltraMist Sport, UltraMist Ultra Defense and Ultra-Mist Kids.
More than 20 million units have been sold since UltraMist launched in 2010, a company spokesman said.
The problem appears to be caused by UltraMist's spray valve, which is applying too much of the product, Energizer said in a statement. As a result, the lotion is taking longer to dry, which raises the flammability risk.
UltraMist's label warns users: "Keep away from sources of ignition - no smoking."
But dermatologists say most people don't read such labels.
