[LightenNLift]

I always wondered, how do manufacturers determine the expiration date of the products they just produced? How do they know when the Retin-A will be useless, etc?



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[bob1984]

like a gallon of milk they give an exp date that is before thee time when it will be useless. The expiration date is more or less a worst case scenario guestimation.... at least those are my thoughts. if you take multivitamins after their exp date it just wont be as beneficial.

 

[LightenNLift]

but how can a guestimation be as accurate all the way down to like months in a year, couldnt it be like expiration - 2011. I mean how do they know that it wont expire a couple months from when the product was opened?



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[bob1984]

but how can a guestimation be as accurate all the way down to like months in a year, couldnt it be like expiration - 2011. I mean how do they know that it wont expire a couple months from when the product was opened?

generally if you havent noticed... if osmething has an expiration date thats 3 years out its sually 3 yearts from when it was made. i dont think youre gonig to see expiration dates that are 37 months ahead...idk someone else jump in on this.

 

[Lexi2009]

LighteNLift---the expiration of something like vitamin A (which is retin-a) is based on how long it takes to degrade under the recommended storage conditions. Normally most packaged and sealed products have a good amount longer than the expiration date, it is a CYA for the pharma industry/food industry etc. I store tretinoin (retin-a) in the refrigerator which extends the life. BTW--sent today.

As for food, well again a good example of expected life of a product based on presumed storage circumstances---ever buy milk that says good until X date then days before it is still GOOD BY--you go and drink it and it tastes like SH*T? That is usually because it either was transported in less than ideal conditions or it was left out upon arrival or YOU or someone left it out or your refrigerator is warmer than average. Also note sell by vs. use by dates!

 

[mony]

Honestly who knows, I've had to bring beauty products even shampoos back to the stores as they stank so bad. I really think they just make a wild guess or someone is storing the stuff where it should not be stored.

 

[LightenNLift]

Thanks Lexi, I thought storing retin-a in the fridge makes way for condensation? The pharmacists say to store it in a cool dry place away from light. btw how r u doing?



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[Lexi2009]

I am doing ok LighteNLift--a bit nervous (the surgery is Thursday!). Sent that out btw.

Storage, yes todays retin-a can be stored in a cool dry place but it used to need refrigeration. The refrigeration will not do anything but help in tretinoin's case (retin-a). It prolongs the degradation of the molecular structure of the compound. Condensation, if it were to occur which it does not, usually would be of the emollient agents used not the actual active ingredient, tretinoin.

 

[MBrittany]

If a product CAN expire, in the U.S. they have to put an expiration on it. Sometimes you will see one with just the year like (exp. 2010) but like Lexi said its often some amount of time from when the product was made!