Mum's warning after son, 2, 'left blistered by sunscreen'

A young mother is calling for a brand of sunscreen to be pulled off the shelves after her son was burned to the point of blistering while wearing it.

But the company involved says the problem is not the product, claiming instead people are not using it correctly.

Natasha Henwood said her two-year-old son, Lucca, was left burned and blistered after wearing Banana Boat’s ‘Simply Protect Kids’ SPF 50 sunscreen.

The Australian mother said she applied two coats of the sunscreen before the toddler spent two hours outside.

But a day later, she noticed burns and blisters developing on his shoulders and face.

“It says that it meets all the standards for Australia and they’re very high standards, but it’s not the first case,” Ms Henwood said.

In its 2018 Sunscreen Review, comparison site Canstar Blue found more than half of the people surveyed suffered burns despite using sunscreen.

But several brands were rated above four stars for effectiveness.

“All sunscreens sold in Australia should be effective and as consumers we also have a responsibility to ensure we’re using these products correctly,” Canstar Blue editor Simon Downes said.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration says it tested 94 sunscreens last year and found no issues with quality or safety.

But the TGA said the findings highlighted important messages for consumers like storing sunscreen correctly, applying 20 minutes before sun exposure and re-applying throughout the day.

“It’s not something that you use so you can go into the sun for excessive amounts of time,” dermatologist Professor Diona Damian said.

“It’s a filter, not a block.”

Banana Boat has offered Ms Henwood a refund but is reassuring customers its products meet high standards.

It says no sunscreen, even SPF 50 plus, provides 100 per cent protection.

“Always combine it with other measures like hats and appropriate clothing,” Professor Damian said.