Does sunscreen expire?

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Skin Self-Exam SSE
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Most sunscreens do not have expiration dates printed on them. Instead "lot numbers" can be used to determine the date the product was manufactured.

For <SPAN style="POSITION: static">Coppertone</SPAN> products, the first character of the lot code represents the year of manufacture (7=2007, etc.)<SPAN class=cs_misspelled> </SPAN>The second character is a bit more involved.<SPAN class=cs_misspelled> </SPAN>It will tell you the month of <SPAN style="POSITION: static" textContent="null">manufacture</SPAN> using this code:

<SPAN style="POSITION: static">A=Jan,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">B=Feb,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">C=Mar,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">D=Apr,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">E=May,</SPAN> but then <SPAN style="POSITION: static">G=June,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">H=July,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">J=Aug,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">K=Sept,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">M=Oct,</SPAN> <SPAN style="POSITION: static">N=Nov,</SPAN> and <SPAN style="POSITION: static">P=Dec.</SPAN><SPAN class=cs_misspelled> </SPAN>Per <SPAN style="POSITION: static">Scherring-Plough</SPAN> (the mfr of <SPAN style="POSITION: static">Coppertone)</SPAN> their SPF sunscreens have a shelf life of 3 years from the date of manufacture.

For Banana Boat products, the first 2 digits of the code represent the year it was made (07=2007, etc.) and the next 3 digits represent the day of the year (32=Feb 1st, 365=Dec 31st, etc.).<SPAN class=cs_misspelled> </SPAN>They also state a shelf life of 3 years.

First answer by Marcy. Last edit by Doug in NH. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 33 [recommend question]