Crisaborole Topical
Crisaborole is a topical anti-inflammatory medicine used to treat mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema) in adults and children 3 months of age and older.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 1 clinical label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Crisaborole Topical: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Crisaborole Topical — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Crisaborole is a topical medicine approved for the following use:
- Eucrisa ointment is indicated for the topical treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema) in adults and in pediatric patients 3 months of age and older.
⚙️How it works▾
Crisaborole belongs to a class of medicines called PDE-4 inhibitors (phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors). It works by blocking the PDE-4 enzyme inside skin cells. Blocking this enzyme raises levels of a molecule called cyclic AMP (cAMP), which helps reduce the inflammatory signals that drive eczema flares. The precise downstream steps that lead to skin improvement are not yet fully defined.
💊How it's taken▾
Eucrisa ointment is applied directly to the skin — not taken by mouth. A thin layer is applied to affected areas twice a day. Once your skin responds well, your prescriber may recommend cutting back to once daily.
- Apply only to affected skin areas.
- Keep it away from the eyes, mouth, and vaginal area.
- Follow your prescriber's directions — do not apply more often than instructed.
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
The most commonly reported side effect with Eucrisa is discomfort at the spot where you apply it:
- Application site pain — burning or stinging (reported in about 4% of users in clinical trials)
- Application site infection (less common)
- Application site dermatitis — irritation or inflammation at the application site (less common)
Serious allergic reactions, including hives and swelling, have been reported. Stop using Eucrisa immediately and seek medical help if you notice severe itching, swelling, or redness at or away from the application site.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Allergic reactions: Some people have had hypersensitivity reactions — including contact urticaria (hives) — while using Eucrisa. Watch for severe itching, swelling, or redness at the application site or elsewhere on the body. If this happens, stop the medicine right away and get medical care.
- Skin use only: Eucrisa must not be applied to the eyes, mouth, or vaginal area.
- Systemic absorption: A small amount of crisaborole is absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream, which is something your doctor considers when weighing its use, especially in pregnant or breastfeeding patients.
🔀What it interacts with▾
Based on laboratory studies, crisaborole is not expected to cause clinically significant interactions with most common medications when used as directed on the skin. One specific point worth knowing:
- A breakdown product of crisaborole may interact with certain drugs processed by the UGT1A9 enzyme (a liver processing pathway), potentially raising the levels of those medications — though this has not been shown to be a problem in clinical use at standard doses.
- Studies including warfarin (a blood thinner) showed no meaningful interaction with crisaborole.
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Allergy to crisaborole: Do not use Eucrisa if you have ever had an allergic reaction to crisaborole or any of its ingredients — this is a contraindication.
- Pregnancy: There is very limited human data on Eucrisa use during pregnancy. Animal studies at high oral doses showed some risks, but at lower doses there were no fetal problems. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.
- Breastfeeding: It is not known if crisaborole passes into breast milk. Discuss with your doctor whether to continue breastfeeding while using Eucrisa.
- Infants under 3 months: The safety and effectiveness of Eucrisa have not been established in babies younger than 3 months old.
- Older adults (65+): Clinical trials did not include enough older adults to know if they respond differently — your doctor will consider this when prescribing.
📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾
At the doses applied to the skin, Eucrisa ointment is not expected to affect your heart's electrical rhythm (specifically, it is not expected to prolong the QTc interval — a measure of heart electrical timing) to any clinically meaningful degree.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
Even though crisaborole is applied to the skin, some of it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Studies in children showed measurable blood levels of the medicine, and it reaches a stable level in the body by about 8 days of regular use. Crisaborole is highly bound to proteins in the blood (about 97%) and is broken down in the body into inactive metabolites. These breakdown products are mainly cleared through the kidneys in urine.
📦How to store it▾
Store at 20°C–25°C (68°F–77°F); excursions permitted to 15°C–30°C (59°F–86°F).
📄 Written from Crisaborole Topical’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Crisaborole Topical
3 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Crisaborole Topical in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Moderate · 2
- Minor · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Crisaborole Topical — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is Eucrisa actually for — is it just a fancy moisturizer? ▾
It burns when I apply it — is that normal? Should I stop using it? ▾
How often do I apply it, and can I put it anywhere on my body? ▾
Is it safe to use on my baby or young child? ▾
I'm breastfeeding — is this safe to use? ▾
Will Eucrisa interact with any of my other medications? ▾
Is Crisaborole Topical available over the counter? ▾
When was Crisaborole Topical first available? ▾
Who makes Crisaborole Topical? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Crisaborole Topical’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Crisaborole Topical comes
Crisaborole Topical is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Topical cream, ointment or gel
How this form is used
- Eucrisa is used to treat mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema) in adults and children 3 months of age and older.
- Eucrisa: apply a thin layer to the affected skin areas twice daily.
- Eucrisa: once the skin improves, your prescriber may reduce application to once daily.
- Eucrisa: for skin use only — do not apply to the eyes, mouth, or vaginal area.
- Eucrisa: follow your prescriber's guidance on how much to use and for how long.
📊 Crisaborole Topical across the U.S. market
How Crisaborole Topical appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Crisaborole Topical is used
A general measure of how commonly Crisaborole Topical is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Crisaborole Topical is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Crisaborole Topical prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Crisaborole Topical ranks #545 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 66% of them.
Utilization by Crisaborole Topical product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
crisaborole 0.02 MG/MG Topical Ointment
Summed across the 2 of 4 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1865957
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Crisaborole Topical, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 2 of 4 listed Crisaborole Topical NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Crisaborole Topical products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Crisaborole Topical — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Topical cream, ointment or gel | ||||
| 20 mg/g | Topical | Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc × 3 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg/g | — | Pharmacia and Upjohn Company LLC | DRUG FOR FURTHER PROCESSING | View NDC → |
Showing 4 of 4 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 4 Crisaborole Topical NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Crisaborole Topical — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Crisaborole Topical in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Crisaborole Topical went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 1865953 1 dose form · 1 strength
-
Dose form (SCDF) Topical Ointment RxCUI 1865956In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 0.02 MG/MGRxCUI 1865957
Look up RxCUI 1865953 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Crisaborole Topical is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Crisaborole Topical belongs to the Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitor class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 1 FDA-filed SPL label set within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.