Skin Care Tips: Respect The Expiration Date Of Sunscreens

Applying sunscreen has become a daily routine for many people throughout the year, but users should pay attention to the expiration date of these products.

If in doubt, it is best not to use sunscreen that was used last summer, advises dermatologist Eckhard Breitbart. Instead, it is advisable to buy a new tube at the supermarket or pharmacy.

Oxygen causes oxidation, which causes the substances in the product to change and, as a result, they cannot properly perform their protective function, says the dermatologist, who is a member of the German Cancer Aid Society and is chairman of the dermatological prevention working group (ADP).

Breitbart also warns that “the substances that may be produced in this process could well be carcinogenic” although it notes that “adequate evidence” has not yet been provided.

A study by French and American scientists, published in March 2021, has provided further evidence for this theory. According to the report, creams containing the UV protection filter octocrylene have formed benzophenones over time, which are considered to be possibly carcinogenic.

The maximum shelf life of a sunscreen after opening is indicated on the tube or can. The corresponding symbol is an open round can, for example, which says “12 M” and means twelve months. After this period, the product must be discarded.

To keep track of exactly when you opened a sunscreen, it is advisable to write the opening date on the tube with a waterproof marker.

Sunscreens often, but not always, also have an expiration date. Breitbart advises that if this date has passed, they should not be used, even if the packaging has not been opened.

However, there is often no specific best-before date on sunscreen packaging.

This is because, for example, in the European Union, cosmetic products only need to bear a best-before date if they have a shelf life of no more than 30 months, according to the German Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety.

When choosing a cream, dermatologist Breitbart advises choosing fragrance-free products and making sure they protect against UVA and UVB rays.

It is not advisable to be thrifty when applying sunscreen. Products only provide the promised sun protection factor if they are applied thickly enough to the skin.

“A general rule of thumb for calculating the amount is to apply a teaspoon of sunscreen to the face of teenagers, while adults need a little more,” advises the dermatologist.