Does tretinoin expire?

Where do you find the expiration date?

Look for a date on the medicine label, bottle or carton, sometimes after the letters EXP. The expiration date can be printed on the carton, so the box has a job beyond looking pharmaceutical. If you cannot find or read the date, ask your pharmacist before using the medicine rather than estimating from when you bought it.23

What does the date actually mean?

A medicine's expiration date marks the period during which it is known to retain its strength, quality and purity when stored as directed. Manufacturers establish that period through stability testing. The date is tied to the product and its storage conditions, not simply to the ingredient name tretinoin. Use the date on your own medicine rather than a shelf life quoted for another cream, gel or lotion.4

Can you use it just a little past the date?

Do not give expired tretinoin a homemade grace period. Degraded medicines can have less strength and fail to deliver their intended benefit; chemical changes can also make medicines unsafe. Being only recently expired is not a reason to keep using it. An unopened tube still has an expiration date, even if its skincare career never began.25

Some medicines receive formally extended expiration dates after additional testing. That is different from deciding that an old tube at home probably still works. Medicines kept in controlled federal stockpiles are tested under specific conditions; household storage can involve different temperatures, humidity and light exposure. Do not treat those extensions as permission to extend your own prescription's date.4

How should you store tretinoin?

Keep tretinoin in its original container, tightly closed, at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture. Do not freeze it. Keep it out of sight and reach of children. For tretinoin lotion, the storage range is 20 to 25 degrees C, or 68 to 77 degrees F; follow your own product's labeled directions.13

Avoid the bathroom, where moisture can affect medicines. A dry drawer or closet shelf is a better option if it meets the label's conditions and is inaccessible to children. Poor storage can reduce a medicine's effectiveness before its printed expiration date. If your tretinoin has frozen or been exposed to excess heat or moisture, ask your pharmacist whether it needs replacing rather than relying on the date alone.23

What should you do with expired tretinoin?

1. 1Check the label or patient leaflet for disposal instructions.
2. 2Ask your pharmacy about a medicine take back program. This is the preferred route for unwanted tretinoin. Do not flush tretinoin down the toilet.
3. 3If a take back option is unavailable, confirm that household disposal is appropriate. Mix the medicine with used coffee grounds, dirt or cat litter, then seal the mixture in a bag or container that will not leak and put it in the trash.
4. 4Remove or cover your prescription number and personal information on the packaging before discarding it.

Ask your pharmacist about refilling your prescription. Once you have a replacement, follow the prescribed amount and schedule; do not apply extra tretinoin to make up for missed applications.3