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Washington • The maker of Banana Boat sunscreen is recalling a half-million bottles of spray-on lotion after reports that a handful of people have caught on fire after applying the product and coming in contact with an open flame.

Energizer Holdings said Friday that it is pulling 23 varieties of UltraMist sunscreen off store shelves due to the risk of the lotion igniting when exposed to fire.

The recall includes aerosol products like UltraMist Sport, UltraMist Ultra Defense and UltraMist Kids.

A company spokesman said there have been five reports of people suffering burns after using the sunscreen in the last year. Four burn cases were reported in the U.S. and one in Canada.

More than 20 million units have been sold since UltraMist launched in 2010, the spokesman said.

The problem appears to be caused by UltraMist's spray valve, which is over-applying 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.

Doctors and burn experts said Friday the problem appears to be extremely rare. "I've been doing this for 30 years and I've never seen or heard of this happening before," said Dr. Darrel Rigel, professor of dermatology at New York University. Rigel pointed out that the flammable ingredients in aerosol— including alcohol — are common to many products, including hairspray and spray-on deodorants.

Dan Dillard, executive director of the Burn Prevention Network, said the group was contacted earlier this year about two burns related to spray-on sunscreen. One case involved a man who was standing near a barbecue grill, the other involved a woman working with welding equipment. Both cases resulted in second and third degree burns. —

Advice for consumers

Consumers are advised not to use the products and to call the manufacturer at 1-800-SAFESUN for information.