Topical therapies for atopic dermatitis

Topical therapies remain the mainstay of atopic dermatitis management. US Food and Drug Administration-approved options include topical corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, a Janus kinase inhibitor, and an aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, each with different indications, efficacy, and safety considerations. Although most topical medications are studied as single agents compared with vehicle bases, in clinical practice, there is a broad set of approaches that might utilize multiple topical agents together or sequenced.