Thoughts like “What if the product is little over than its expiry date” or “I have cream from last year, why should I buy new one” can cost your health, warn dermatologists.
Usually sunscreens’ shelf life is 3 years. However, dermatologists warn that this expiry date only applies to unopened products. Also, most products indicate that the cream is good to use just one year after opening.
If the cream is old, applying it will not provide protection from the sun. And as a consequence you will get sunburn, and the greatest danger is the risk of melanoma. Also, the cream is especially dangerous if it has gone bad because bacteria and fungi can easily reproduce in it. As a result of these creams’ usage you can end up with irritation and rash.
In exceptional cases, expired sunscreen can cause so called poisoning by absorption. Swollen glands in certain regions can occur as a result of this. Also, if you apply bad cream onto the face, you may end up having problems with pustules.