Maybe you finally got around to cleaning out your cluttered medicine cabinet.
Or maybe you got a nasty cut on your knuckle and you’re debating using some old Neosporin.
So does Neosporin really expire?
Yes, well, sort of…
You deserve a better answer than this.
But to answer this question properly, we need to dig deeper into expired Neosporin.
Need to have a better understanding of how Neosporin works.
We need to investigate these questions:
- Once it’s expired, does it still have any healing potency remaining?
- Should you consider using expired Neosporin?
- Could it possibly be harmful using expired Neosporin?
- Should you just toss it out the day after it expires?
- Should you keep it forever? If so, why?
The honest answer to all of these questions is: IT DEPENDS.
It depends because there’s a lot of controversy around these questions. Just like there seems to be controversy around all things “expiration” related.
Yet, all is not lost.
My goal is to provide enough information so you can make an informed decision when it comes to using expired Neosporin.
So let’s get started, but first a quick note…
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a physician. I’m not providing any health advice, but rather collecting and sharing other people’s information and my personal (non-professional) opinions on what I’ve decided to do.
You should always consult your doctor or a licensed professional for all your health-related decisions.
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Does Expired Neosporin Still Have Any Potency Remaining?
As I have already suggested, the right answer is “It Depends”.
OK, You Got It!
Depends on what?
1) How Far Is The Expired Neosporin Past Its Date?
Neosporin is a medical consumable. As with most medical consumables, its healing potency degrades over time.
The older it gets, the less ability it has to perform as intended.
Ok, makes sense. So what is the exact degradation pace of Neosporin?
Unfortunately, that information is not publicly available. The makers of Neosporin do not share that information.
However, I discovered that all pharmaceutical companies must follow strict labeling guidelines.
These guidelines require the active ingredient in medications to meet a specific potency range.
When the active ingredients fall outside this specific range, the product must be considered “expired”.
This potency range is unique depending upon the makeup of the product and its active ingredients. But the range is typically very high in the pharmaceutical field.
An example of an acceptable active ingredient range in pharmaceuticals is between 95% to 105% potency.
So in order to follow these strict requirements, the manufacturers of Neosporin must test their products in controlled storage environments.
They record potency test data over a period of time, taking note of when it drops below their required range threshold (i.e. 95%).
Using this collected data, the medical companies use statistics to determine the required expiration date.
A data supported date that meets the strict industry guidelines.
So the bottom line is this:
The closer your expired Neosporin is to its labeled expiration date, the higher the potency of active ingredient remains.
Sure, it’s probably slipped below the strict 95% guideline, but should you toss out Neosporin that has an active ingredient potency of 88%?
2) Where And How Has Your Neosporin Been Stored?
Storage practices are always a variable when it comes to expiration dates. Poor storage practices lead to shorter expiration dates. Good storage practices lead to longer expiration dates.
The two major conditions that significantly shorten Neosporin’s shelf life are:
- Stored in direct sunlight
- Stored in high-temperature environments
So if we store our Neosporin in locations that avoid these conditions then we will prolong the useful life of our Neosporin.
Or as Marvin Lipman (Consumer Reports Chief Medical Consultant) suggests:
“To assure that medicines stay effective after their expiration dates, don’t store them in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and humidity accelerate how fast a drug deteriorates, so store drugs in a cool, dry place and well out of the reach of children.”
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Should You Apply Neosporin After It Expires?
We now understand that expired Neosporin can still be useful. But should you apply it after its expired?
Are there any associated risks with ignoring the label? Does Neosporin expire and go toxic after a certain amount of time?
Again, information on these questions is sparse and the little information that I was able to find is not from highly trusted sources (i.e. medical journals, or medical websites).
These suggestions are from people who are answering people’s questions on Q/A based sites.
Q/A Link 1 – Q/A Link 2 – Q/A Link 3
However, as you can tell people tend to agree that Neosporin does not become toxic after expiration.
It should also be noted what was NOT found.
If Neosporin did turn toxic after expiration there would be a whole lot of information about that on the web (and most likely many court cases).
I found no evidence of this, which also supports the idea that Neosporin does not become toxic after it expires.
Should You Use It? Toss It Out? Or Keep It After Its Expiration Date?
What’s your mindset?
Are you a survivalist prepper (like me)?
If times are normal, and you can easily buy a new tube of Neosporin from Walgreens, then you should just purchase a new tube.
I won’t argue that it’s worth using expired Neosporin if a new tube is readily available.
However, as a survivalist, I tend to think about worse case scenarios such as TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It).
This survivalist mindset changes how I think about expiration dates. “Expiration Dates” and “Best If Used By Dates” are valid in normal times (where food and medical supplies are in abundance).
But they become nearly meaningless the day our modern medical resources become scarce.
In such a world, many items that have value today will become worthless; while many undervalued items today will skyrocket in value.
I believe Neosporin will skyrocket in value in a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI world. Even if it’s expired Neosporin. Why?
Let Me Share With You A Short Hypothetical Story:
Let’s pretend that TSHTF happens and life as we know if is over. Maybe it’s a highly contagious virus that wipes out 87% of the world’s population.
Maybe it’s world war III that leaves behind a scorched earth. Maybe it’s a massive EMP attack.
Whatever this cause, medical attention and medical supplies will become very limited. You won’t be stopping over at your local drug store to pick up cold medicine, nasal spray or Neosporin.
In this hypothetical story, let’s pretend that you have a 6-year-old son.
Maybe he was walking around your beat up neighborhood in a pair of worn out sneakers and stepped on a large shard of glass.
He’s left with a nasty cut on his heel.
In haste, you clean it with a semi-sanitary source and wrap it with the cleanest bandages you can find.
You then pray it doesn’t become infected.
After a few hours, the cut starts to turn a pinkish-red hue, begins to swell and looks to be in the early stages of a deadly infection.
Remember in this new world, getting access to regular antibiotics is all but impossible. Unless you planned ahead.
In this story, you didn’t. Your son is doomed.
But wait…
Your neighbor (who is a prepared survivalist) happens to have Neosporin.
It’s 3 years past its “expiration date”, but who cares, this is your son’s life we are talking about.
Your neighbor wants to help, but he also knows that in this world of limited medical supplies you don’t just give stuff away for free.
Especially something as valuable as infection-fighting Neosporin.
So he proposes a barter.
He will give you a small amount of Neosporin in exchange for one month worth of food and a brick of .22 bullets.
But you didn’t prepare. You never thought life could ever change so drastically.
You don’t have a brick of 22 shells to trade.
“That’s OK” he says, “How about instead you trade your firewood?” That large pile in your backyard.
The pile you bought for your fireplace because your family enjoys fires at Christmas.
It’s about a cord of firewood in total.
Without electricity, you were planning on this firewood to keep your family from freezing on the coldest winter nights.
But what options do you have?
You can forego the trade and your son will surely die.
Or you can make the trade and improve your son’s odds of surviving.
You realize it’s not really a choice at all.
You do the deal.
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Moral Of The Story Is This…
If you’re worried about the future of our world (and you should be), maybe you should hang on to your expired Neosporin.
The date that’s stamped onto your Neosporin is just the time in which the drug manufacturer can guarantee its maximum safety and potency based on product testing.
However, this leaves many months (possibly many years) where the medicine will still be effective.
- So Does Neosporin Expire? Yes, eventually.
- Will I throw mine out? Nope.
I will continue to keep my Neosporin well after its expiration date.
- I keep it stored in a dark, cool location.
- I keep it for the “what if” scenarios.
It’s an item that will have a skyrocketing value for bartering and an item that may help protect my own family from infections.
This is my personal stance on keeping and using expired Neosporin.
Remember: Prepare, Adapt and Overcome,
“Just In Case” Jack
p.s. - A friend of mine was living in Lousiana when Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.
AND he was visiting his family in Houston during Hurricane Harvey!
Can you image? What bad luck...
Anyways, he learned a ton about survival and shared it all with me, but there was one thing, in particular, that stood out the most..
It's not something I thought it would be that's for sure...
Click here discover what that one most important thing is.
jeff Hendershott says
Just heard that even drug scripts are good for at least 15 yrs after the exp date so don’t throw them out either.. Just saying
Shop Smarter says
As many people already know: it’s easy to stock up on generic Antibacterial Ointment and other medical supplies at “dollar stores” for $1 each.
Just In Case Jack says
Good point. Name brand often isn’t worth the extra $’s.
-Jack
GardenNut says
Solution C: Make your own antibiotic salve out of white yarrow.
Just In Case Jack says
Thanks for sharing.
I’d never heard of this.
I’ll definitely have to look into it.
– Jack
GardenNut says
It works fantastically well, and I make it pretty frequently for friends and neighbors sooo, here’s the recipe I use.
————————-
Yarrow Salve Recipe – Herbal Neosporin
(Achillea Millefolium)
-GardenNut
I use 14 large sprigs of yarrow, 2 cups olive oil, and 1/4 cup beeswax.
Cut the yarrow and hang to dry for several days. The salve uses both flowers and leaves, so cut those in full bloom. Be sure the yarrow is completely dry before starting. Wild white yarrow has the highest medicinal value.
1.5 oz of beeswax is about 1/4 cup. So feel free to use those little one ounce bars that natural food stores sell. As with most wax projects, be sure to use a sacrificial skillet. You can generally find a cheap one at a thrift store or yard sale.
Melt the beeswax. Then stir in the olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to stir. Be sure you melt it on low-medium. After the mix is completely melted, turn the burner down to low (2 on my stove). Add the yarrow leaves and flowers, they crumble right off the stem. The yarrow should be completely immersed. Stir as you cook. Cook for 20 minutes from when the yarrow was added. Do not let the yarrow turn brown or black. I once made the mistake of wanting it to bubble at the very end and scorched the lot. Just gently cook it on low.
After it has cooked, have clean jars ready to receive the salve. Pour through a fine metal sieve into the jars. I also used a funnel. This stage is way easier with two people. The salve is hot, so do not splash any on your body. Do not worry if it gets on the stove, it cleans off very easily. Cap the jars and wait for them to cool.
The yarrow salve is antibacterial, analgesic, and anti-styptic. It basically acts as an herbal neosporin. The amount yields a surprising amount of salve (generally around 1 pint, but sometimes more). The consistency is very much like a heavy ointment.
My family and I have personally tested it on cuts, scrapes, bugbites, hernias, and various other bleeding injuries. It soothes the pain very quickly and greatly speeds healing. Yarrow is very hardy, and grows in most zones. It blooms from mid-spring, through summer, and sometimes in to fall.
Just In Case Jack says
Wow.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Especially the level of detail so that all our readers can make some Herbal Neosporin.
– Jack
Bob says
My Neosporin is 12 years past expiration and I use it all the time with no problems. It still works!
Just In Case Jack says
Thanks for sharing Bob.
There ya go folks. Proof from a fellow reader.
Jonathan Jeffries says
A couple other things that will probably skyrocket in value that you could stock up on now for cheap are oragel and vaseline. Vaseline works well in keeping dirt out of cuts and stopping minor bleeding, along with the fact that it’s great for use with cotton balls in making tinder. Oragel…well, think about it. Wouldn’t you be over the moon for a moments’ relief from a massive toothache, especially in a dentist-free world? I am sure that the Benzocaine that is inside of Oragel has plenty of other pain relieving benefits to things such as sunburns and possibly other skin irritations like poison ivy. I’d have to research more to double check on that.
Just In Case Jack says
Both good ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Citizen says
Thank you Garden Nut,,,preparing is GREAT,,,but even the prepared will deplete their stores one day. Having knowledge of replacement procedures may extend your family well past your own life. Thanks for sharing. I probably have some of this info in my library. However,,if I lose my library I will not forget this advice ever. Cuts and scrapes are just to common.
Gardenbud says
another use for the expired neosporin, would be to use as a fire starter, like with Vaseline,,,,or even a possible lubricant.
tim says
Generic Swan Chloraseptic which expired 16 years ago worked on sore throat.
Marcus says
I’m prone to skin infections 2-3 times a year on my lower legs due to extreme poor circulation and edema, usually when my dog scratches me while rough-housing or if scratched when gardening or hiking.
I’ve used antibiotic cream 1 year past its expiry date. No difference in efficacy.
I’ve used antibiotic cream 2 years past expiry date. The skin infection took longer to clear than I’d expect.
I’ve used antibiotic cream 3 years past its expiry date. The skin infection did not improve. Even after several days. I bought a new tube of the same cream. The skin infection cleared in the expected time. I tossed (finally) the old cream.
Dr. Weathers says
IMPORTANT EXCEPTION TO THE ABOVE COMMENTS:
Good to know for all your medication: Cases where you should stick closely to the expiration date include certain liquid medications such as nitroglycerin, insulin, and epinephrine, and especially the antibiotic tetracycline—which, past it expiration date can become toxic and cause kidney problems—should not be used past the expiration date.