Does sunscreen really expire after a year??

[Johanna]

Anyone know for sure??
....it kills me to throw out all this sunscreen from last summer. But, I certainly will if it is ineffective:glare:

[snickelfritz]

that it loses its effectiveness. Since they don't want to be responsible, I'm sure they ere on the side of caution.

Realistically....I've used last seasons sunscreen and had it work fine. For dh and I, I'm fine with it. For my dd (very fair skin and a birthmark on her face that can NOT tan)....I buy new every year.

[nmoira]

Maybe chemical sunscreens, but I'm not sure how the micronized titanium barrier sunscreens could lose effectiveness.

[Dana in OR]

We've used sunscreens for years - :confused: although we buy several new ones each year. They all seem to work; it's remembering to use them in the first place.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

They do lose their effectiveness but I bet you've got a least a year over the posted date.

[Mrs Mungo]

From: http://www.skincancer.org/content/view/202/12/1/2/

Q: Does sunscreen expire?
Yes, and many products carry expiration dates. If yours doesn't, it's probably good for up to three years after you buy it. But if you're applying adequate sunscreen-about an ounce (two tablespoons) for one's entire body-you should use several bottles in a season. In fact, a six-ounce bottle should last a family of four only one day at the beach if everyone reapplies once. If your bottle lasts for months, you're not using enough.

[DollyM]

Was from sitting pregnant on the sand at Myrtle Beach for 3 hours using nothing but two year old cream sunscreen that came out looking like I should have shaken it (separated, watery parts and creamy parts). I used it anyway (if you dig a hole in the sand the size of your pg tummy you can lay flat for the first time in months) but when the burn appreared on the ride home to Maryland I discovered it wasn't worth it. Ouch.

So, yes, we now buy fresh every year.

[LadyNancy]

I buy new each summer. But...I didn't get a chance yet so we recently used last year's sunscreen. It definitely worked. You can see the line of demarcation between where we applied and where we missed. I'll probably still buy new stuff though.

[abbeyej]

Maybe chemical sunscreens, but I'm not sure how the micronized titanium barrier sunscreens could lose effectiveness.

I wondered about that too. Still, as someone else pointed out, if you're using an adequate amount of sunscreen, it shouldn't last "years".

[Johanna]

From: http://www.skincancer.org/content/view/202/12/1/2/

Q: Does sunscreen expire?
Yes, and many products carry expiration dates. If yours doesn't, it's probably good for up to three years after you buy it. But if you're applying adequate sunscreen-about an ounce (two tablespoons) for one's entire body-you should use several bottles in a season. In fact, a six-ounce bottle should last a family of four only one day at the beach if everyone reapplies once. If your bottle lasts for months, you're not using enough.



Well, we actually (being a fam of 6) go through more than our fair share in a season. However, this was bought towards the end of summer last year and we still had some left over. I guess it hasnt been quite a year yet.
I think it will be ok to use (depending on the consistency). THanks everyone for your input!

[nmoira]

I wondered about that too. Still, as someone else pointed out, if you're using an adequate amount of sunscreen, it shouldn't last "years".True, but it's not uncommon to have one or more from the previous season. We buy a box at the beginning of the summer. Since I don't have the wherewithal to always remember sunscreen, I keep them in different places and more than one is going at a time. By the following summer, I usually have 3 or 4 partial tubes left... enough for a week or two. They're barrier screens, and we haven't had a problem.