Have you ever grabbed a bottle of sunscreen out of your beach or pool bag and thought to yourself, “I wonder how long I’ve had this”? If you’re like most busy families, you probably have several bottles of sunscreen that get thrown into different bags and drawers, so you don’t typically go through one full bottle before buying a replacement.
There’s nothing worse than diligently applying sunscreen on yourself or your children, only to find out at the end of a day in the sun that it was no longer effective. Getting sunburned is a serious injury to skin, and avoiding it at all costs is the best protection from the potential risk of skin cancer. So, how do you know if your sunscreen is expired? And, does sunscreen even actually expire?
Most sunscreen bottles come with an expiration date printed somewhere on the lid or bottle. They’re designed to last for about three years, so if your sunscreen doesn’t have an expiration date it may be a good idea to write the date of purchase on it with a permanent marker so you can be sure to keep an eye on when you get close to that three-year mark. For a more specific date, you could also call the manufacturer and give them the printed codes or numbers on the bottle so they can look up exactly when it was produced.
Two ways to tell if your sunscreen is expired is through smell and texture. When sunscreen is past its prime, the different ingredients in it will begin to separate. It will come out of the bottle in two parts, one thick and one watery. If not easily remedied with a quick shake of the bottle, this separation means that it’s time to toss that bottle and buy a fresh one. When it comes to smell, if it stops smelling like sunscreen or it begins to smell sour or rancid, don’t use it.
The best way to prevent sunscreen from prematurely expiring is to store it in a cool, dark place. You can still keep it in your pool or beach bag, just be sure to bring that bag inside between trips in the sun.
For more information about skin safety or to schedule an appointment with us, call 817-778-4444.
