Retin-A expiration

[skinny]

Hi Sarah,

Could you please advise if Retin A (generic in the tube, as previously sold on your website) can be used safely after the exp date for some time and for how long?

Also will you be selling retinoic acid in the tube as the jar packaging is not very handy?

Thanks!

[SarahVaughter]

Expiration dates are worse case estimations, to give a margin.

Depending on the product, what can happen after the expiration date expires is a loss in active ingredient, the emergence of harmful substances, bacterial contamination etc.

Retinoic acid may lose its potency when the cream does not contain sufficient stabilizers. There is virtually no risk of harmful substances or bacterial contamination, due to the formulation.

If you kept the tube in the fridge, you can add years to the expiration date. The decay of chemicals is exponential with temperature and sometimes light or oxygen exposure.

We won't be selling A-Ret in tubes soon, because we now started to produce our own A-ret cream and due to technical considerations, in 2012 we will be selling jars only.

The whole A-Ret availablility problem has caused problems for a long time, and we think we finally found an acceptable compromise that won't require dropshipping anymore.

Cheaper product and faster, more reliable shipping.

[skinny]

Thanks for your reply. I have not kept my tube in the fridge. But this tube is still unopened have been kept in room temperature, but is expiring this month. As I have nearly finished the second one I have, I was considering the expiring one. So you believe it would be safe (and effective) to use it from now on (I will keep it in the fridge after opening)?

Thanks!

[SarahVaughter]

Sure, it will be OK because the tube hasn't been opened yet. Room temp. is OK. (Not in a car etc - not even for a few hours on the dashboard.)

There has been a lot of research done on the specified and real expiry dates of medicines by the US army. They found that expiry dates have little to no significance with modern production methods of chemicals, because it were contaminants that caused decay, for ex. with tetracycline antibiotics causing kidney damage after they expired. That does not happen anymore with modern production methods. Keep the tube in the fridge after opening and you'll be OK.