Key takeaways
- When applied, Eucrisa ointment may cause a burning or stinging feeling. This side effect should become less painful as your skin gets used to Eucrisa and your eczema heals.
- Using Eucrisa on your face, including your eyelids and around your mouth, is safe. Just take care to avoid getting it inside your eyes or mouth.
- For some people, this medication can cause an allergic reaction. If you have symptoms of a reaction, such as hives, flushing, or swelling of your face, tongue, or throat, wash the ointment off and contact your doctor. They may have you stop using Eucrisa and switch to a different treatment.
Eucrisa (crisaborole) is a prescription nonsteroidal ointment applied to the skin. It’s used to treat mild to moderate eczema in adults and some children.
Keep reading to learn about Eucrisa side effects. To learn more about Eucrisa, including details about its uses, dosage, and cost, read this Eucrisa overview.
Some people may experience mild or serious side effects during their Eucrisa treatment. The most commonly reported side effect of the drug is a burning or stinging feeling where you apply the ointment
To learn more about this side effect, see the “Tips for managing side effects” section later in this article.
The only mild side effect that has been reported with Eucrisa is a burning or stinging feeling where you apply the ointment.
These sensations should be temporary in most cases. But if you have ongoing or bothersome symptoms, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Do not stop using Eucrisa unless your doctor recommends it.
Eucrisa may cause other mild side effects. See the Eucrisa prescribing information for details.
You can read more about this side effect in the “Tips for managing side effects” section.
Does Eucrisa cause long-term side effects?
Based on long-term studies on its safety, Eucrisa is not known to cause any long-lasting side effects.
Long-term side effects include those that may start at any time you’re taking a drug, even if you’ve taken it for a long time. It also includes side effects that may not go away, even after you stop taking the drug.
If you have questions about possible long-term side effects of the drug, talk with your doctor for more information.
The only serious side effect that has been reported with Eucrisa is allergic reaction.
If you develop a serious side effect while using Eucrisa, call your doctor right away. If the side effect seems life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
For more information about allergic reactions, see the “Tips for managing side effects” section.
Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medication safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect while using Eucrisa and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Eucrisa’s side effects.
Is hair loss a side effect of Eucrisa?
No, Eucrisa doesn’t cause hair loss. This side effect wasn’t reported in studies of the medication, and it hasn’t been reported since this medication became available for prescribing.
In rare cases, hair loss has been reported with certain other eczema treatments, such as tacrolimus (Protopic). Hair loss can also be a problem with immunosuppressant drugs that are sometimes used off-label to treat severe eczema.
If you have eczema on your scalp, this can also sometimes lead to hair loss.
If you have hair loss while using Eucrisa, see your doctor. They can investigate whether this is due to eczema or another factor.
Is Eucrisa safe to use on your face?
Yes, it’s safe to use Eucrisa on your face, including your eyelids and around your mouth. Just take care to avoid getting it inside your eyes or mouth.
Eucrisa can sometimes cause a burning or stinging feeling when you apply it. Since facial skin is more delicate, you may be more likely to have these sensations when using Eucrisa on your face. But there are no restrictions about applying it there.
Your doctor may recommend that you not use certain other eczema medications on your face because the skin is more delicate there. Facial skin can also absorb more medication than skin on other areas of the body.
Some eczema medications, such as strong steroid creams, are more likely to cause side effects if you use them on your face.
Does Eucrisa cause cancer?
No, Eucrisa isn’t known to cause cancer. Cancer wasn’t reported in studies of Eucrisa, and it hasn’t been reported since the medication became available for prescribing. Also, no cases of cancer were reported in a long-term study on the safety of Eucrisa.
Rare cases of cancer have been reported with certain other eczema medications, called topical calcineurin inhibitors. Examples of these include tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel). But it’s not known for sure whether these medications cause cancer. And Eucrisa doesn’t belong to the same group of medications as these two drugs.
If you’re concerned about the risk of cancer with any eczema treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does Eucrisa cause skin thinning?
No, Eucrisa doesn’t cause skin thinning. Studies of the medication did not report this side effect.
Skin thinning is a possible side effect of steroid creams, which are one of the main treatments for eczema.
However, Eucrisa is not a steroid. It doesn’t cause skin thinning or some of the other possible side effects of steroid creams. These include stretch marks, acne, spider veins, or easy bruising.
There may be things you can do to help make certain Eucrisa side effects more manageable. If you have ongoing, worsening, or bothersome side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can suggest tips for managing them or recommend other available treatment options for your condition.
Learn more about some of the side effects that Eucrisa may cause and what might help.
A burning or stinging feeling where you apply the ointment
You may have pain, such as a burning or stinging feeling, where you apply Eucrisa ointment. (Eucrisa is a topical ointment that’s applied to your skin.) This side effect can happen immediately after you apply it. The sensations are usually mild, but for some people, they may be more intense.
In studies, burning and stinging feelings were the most frequently reported side effects of Eucrisa. But they weren’t common. Most people in these studies didn’t report pain after using the drug.
This side effect usually gets better within a day for most people. Applying the ointment should become less painful as your skin gets used to it and your eczema heals.
What might help
To help prevent burning or stinging from Eucrisa, be sure to apply the ointment in a thin layer. Only use it on areas affected by eczema. (Read more about the dosage of Eucrisa and how to apply it.)
Applying a cold pack afterward may relieve these sensations.
Some doctors may recommend keeping Eucrisa in the fridge so that it’s cool when you apply it. This may reduce stinging. But according to the manufacturer, Eucrisa should be kept at room temperature (68–77°F, or 20–25°C). If you want to keep Eucrisa in your fridge, be sure to discuss it with your doctor first. (Keep Eucrisa out of the reach of children.)
If you have burning or stinging that’s troublesome or doesn’t get better, wash the ointment off. Then talk with your doctor. They may recommend switching to a different eczema treatment.
Be sure to keep a close eye on your skin if you have burning or stinging after applying Eucrisa. If you notice your skin starting to swell, itch, or change color, call your doctor right away. These could be symptoms of an allergic reaction to the medication. Read more about this possible side effect just below.
Allergic reaction
Like most drugs, Eucrisa may cause an allergic reaction in some people, though this is rare.
Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:
You may have skin symptoms just in the area where you apply Eucrisa. But you may also have skin symptoms in other parts of your body.
What might help
If you have mild skin symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, hives, or itching, call your doctor right away. To help manage your symptoms, they may suggest an over-the-counter antihistamine that you take by mouth, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). They may also recommend a product that you apply to your skin, such as hydrocortisone cream.
If your doctor confirms that you had a mild allergic reaction to Eucrisa, they’ll decide if you should continue using it.
If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.
If your doctor confirms that you had a serious allergic reaction to Eucrisa, they may have you switch to a different treatment.
Before using Eucrisa, discuss your health history with your doctor. Eucrisa may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. Be sure to talk with your doctor if the following applies to you:
- previous allergic reaction to this or a similar drug
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
If you’d like to know more about the possible side effects of Eucrisa, talk with your doctor. They can help you decide if this treatment may be a good option for your eczema. Examples of some questions you might want to ask include:
- Am I more likely to have burning or stinging with Eucrisa if my eczema is weepy or the skin is broken?
- Can I use Eucrisa on my genitals?
- Should I use Eucrisa with my other eczema treatments? If I do, am I more likely to have side effects?
- What are the ingredients of Eucrisa ointment? Am I allergic to any of these?
- I have lots of allergies. Am I more likely than others to be allergic to Eucrisa?
Q:
If I have burning or stinging with Eucrisa, can I mix the ointment with a moisturizer? Will this help?
AnonymousA:
Studies of Eucrisa haven’t looked at mixing the drug with a moisturizer before applying it. The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends waiting 15 minutes after using Eucrisa to apply moisturizer to the same area.
If you experience burning or stinging that becomes severe or doesn’t go away, wash off the ointment and contact your doctor. They may recommend stopping the treatment and switching to another eczema medication.
The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.