Flammable Sunscreen Prompts FDA Warning

Here's something you've probably never thought about while at a barbecue. 

If you're wearing a certain type of sunscreen and stand too close to a flame like an outdoor grill, you could catch fire. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers about the danger on Wednesday, July 3, 2013.

The FDA said it was notified of five separate incidents in which people who were wearing sunscreen spray suffered significant burns when they were near a flame source. The burns required medical treatment. The sunsprays that the people were wearing were these specific types made by Banana Boat and were voluntarily recalled from the market.

"In the five incidents reported to FDA, the burns occurred after the sunscreen spray had been applied. The ignition sources were varied and involved lighting a cigarette, standing too close to a lit citronella candle, approaching a grill, and in one case, doing some welding. 

These incidents suggest that there is a possibility of catching fire if you are near an open flame or a spark after spraying on a flammable sunscreen—even if you believe you have waited a sufficient time for the sunscreen to dry and your skin feels dry," the FDA said in a consumer update. 

The Banana Boat sunscreens mentioned above should no longer be on store shelves, however you might want to check to see if you still have them at your home.

The FDA also says some sunscreens sold in stores can still be flammable because they contain ingredients like alcohol.

"Based on this information, we recommend that after you have applied a sunscreen spray labeled as flammable, you consider avoiding being near an open flame, sparks or an ignition source," says Narayan Nair, M.D., a lead medical officer at FDA.

Children were not among the five burn victims.

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