Health Canada testing Banana Boat sunscreen products as complaints mount

Suzanna Myers, of Chalfont Pa., applies sunscreen on her daughter, Kiley Plenderleith, 12, in Ocean City, N.J., on June 19, 2012. (The Press of Atlantic City / Ben Fogletto)

VICTORIA - A British Columbia mother says her 12-year-old son suffered burn injuries after using a Banana Boat sunscreen product.

Patrizia Fitch, of Victoria, said Tuesday that her son Daniel was left with severe blisters after wearing a Banana Boat sunscreen on a school trip to a beach in the city.

She says he applied the sunscreen four times and the blisters kept getting worse.

Fitch says she's reported her son's injuries to Health Canada.

A Health Canada spokeswoman says the number of complaints about the company's products has shot up to 139 in the past two months.

Renelle Briand says the agency has reviewed test results provided by the company and has not identified any problems.

She says the government is now conducting its own testing of the sunscreens.

The issue received public attention in May when three mothers complained that their babies suffered burn injuries after using Banana Boat sunscreen.

Banana Boat Canada has previously said that its products are safe and have been approved by Health Canada.