Women reveal horrific consequences of using expired cosmetic products – top surgeon calls on public not to make the same mistake

Experts have warned of the alarming risks of using expired skincare products, including sunburned cheeks, unsightly acne and painful eye infections.

Specialists warned that such old products could be home to a cocktail of bacteria not visible to the naked eye that contaminate the skin and wreak havoc.

Stomach-churning images also show how these types of bacterial infections can enter the bloodstream, with potentially life-threatening complications.

Dr. Anthony Youn, a Michigan plastic surgeon, warned that this is because a preservative used in the products to keep them fresh will eventually expire, making them susceptible to bacterial and fungal contamination.

In a YouTube video that has been viewed almost 90,000 times, he said: ‘One thing you always want to pay attention to is the expiration date of the products you use.

‘Once the expiration date has passed, what can sometimes happen is that the chemical composition has changed and what you put on your skin is no longer what it was.

‘What can also happen is that bacteria can actually grow in the product.

‘Most skin care products and makeup contain some type of preservative that helps combat bacterial and fungal contamination and growth in those products.

Experts today warned that expired cosmetic products could be home to a cocktail of bacteria that are not visible to the naked eye, putting users at risk of everything from a painful eye infection to skin complaints.

‘After a while, those ingredients may no longer work as well and you’ll see more and more growth and bacteria.

‘If you put that on your skin, you can get an infection, a reaction.’

Likewise, skin care products that have not been used for months can become more concentrated over time, meaning users are applying much stronger formulations to their skin than advertised.

Dr. Youn added: ‘If you have an active ingredient like an acid that is buffered by other types of ingredients like water and oils, they can change structure or start to evaporate.

‘That acid can then become stronger and you have to treat your skin with something that is much stronger than before.

‘Don’t use expired products on your skin.’

In a separate YouTube video, he shared the experience of a US woman who suffered burns and a severe becteria infection after applying an expired acne treatment to her face.

“The bacterial infection could have entered her bloodstream, the good news is that she has recovered from it,” he added.

Dr. Anthony Youn, a Michigan plastic surgeon, warned that this was because a preservative used in the products to keep them fresh will eventually expire, making them susceptible to bacterial and fungal contamination.

Cosmetic products are marked with a ‘period after opening’ or ‘PAO’ symbol next to a number indicating this how many months the product will last.

Industry recommendations suggest that mascara and liquid eyeliner should be replaced after a maximum of three months, eyebrow pencils within 18 months, and lipstick, eye shadow and blusher within two years.

Sponges, meanwhile, should be washed weekly and thrown away after two months.

However, this is not the first time that experts have warned about the health risks of outdated makeup.

In 2015, laboratory tests by scientists at London Metropolitan University on outdated makeup also revealed that it contained potentially deadly bacteria, including a strain that causes meningitis.

The researchers tested five products, including a blusher, foundation and lip gloss, and found that old cosmetics contained unsafe levels of potentially deadly bacteria.

One of the insects – Enterococcus faecalis – is a leading cause of meningitis, killing more children under the age of five than any other infectious disease in Britain.

Other deadly bacteria detected included eubacterium, which causes bacterial vaginosis, and aeromonas, one of the causes of gastroenteritis and wound infections.

Industry recommendations suggest that mascara and liquid eyeliner should be replaced after a maximum of three months, eyebrow pencils within 18 months and lipstick, eye shadow and blusher within two years

Researchers also found staphlyoccocus epidermidis, a nasty bug that is resistant to antibiotics, propionibacterium – one of the leading causes of acne and other skin conditions – and enterobacter, which causes urinary tract and respiratory infections.

Dr. Emma Wedgeworth, dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, has done just that said earlier that applying outdated products to your face “may cause irritation or clogging of pores.”

She added: ‘If you already have a compromised skin barrier (dry, flaky, irritated skin) or an existing skin condition, you are at greater risk of infection or irritation.’

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, you should throw away products that start to clump, such as mascara or eyeliner.

A change in consistency, such as a foundation peeling, crumbling or falling apart, such as powder eyeshadow or blush, are other major signs.

Products that smell bad, change color, or feel different on your skin are also among the reasons to throw them away.