I’m a skin doctor – here’s how to spot if your sunscreen has gone off and why you should never use it when it does

It’s important to wear sunscreen to protect your skin, but if it goes bad it may not be as helpful as you think.

However, there are some easy ways to tell if your bottle is empty, so you can keep your skin safe all summer.

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If you make the mistake of using the same sunscreen over and over again, no matter how long you’ve been using it, it could be a recipe for disaster.

Talking to around the worldcosmetic dermatologist, Dr. Mervyn Patterson from Woodford Medical explain how you can tell if your trusty bottle is unused.

The pros say that all bottles marked with SPF have an expiration date on the packaging, please note this point when buying a new bottle for the first time.

Some bottles may have an icon indicating how long the product can be used once opened – but what if you can’t remember what you bought?

He added: “It is very important not to overlook this as the chemicals will degrade and may lose their protective effect.

But what if you’ve unboxed or can’t find the label?

According to dermatologists, you should check the texture and smell of your sunscreen if you’re unsure.

If it looks weird and smells a little weird, he explains, it’s best to throw it away and get a new bottle.

What happens if you use an expired SPF?

This recipe will probably be less effective, meaning you could get a sunburn, which can be quite painful and let’s face it, no one wants to look bright red.

The product itself can also cause reactions, such as irritation, when applied to your skin.

“If a sunscreen product has degraded, there is a theoretical risk of chemical alteration of the ingredients,” the doctor added.

To keep your trusty sunscreen for as long as possible, it’s best to store it in a cool and dry place – so don’t leave it in direct sunlight.

This expert said: “Leaving your sunscreen in the sun, whether it’s on the beach or in the back window of your car, can cause the degradation of the formula and that makes it worse. the product becomes useless.”