Is a Non-Steroid Eczema Cream Safe for Young Children Long Term?
Welcome to the latest episode of the Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations podcast. This episode is part of The Itch Review. We look at a recent study of a non-steroid cream for eczema —roflumilast — in children ages 2 to 5.
Our hosts, allergist Payel Gupta, MD, and patient advocate Kortney, are joined once again by allergist Michael Blaiss, MD. Together they review the article “Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Once-Daily and Proactive Twice-Weekly Roflumilast Cream 0.05% for Mild-to-Moderate Atopic Dermatitis in Children Aged 2-5 Years From a 52-Week, Phase 3 Trial (INTEGUMENT-OLE),” published in Pediatric Dermatology in March 2026.
Atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema. It causes dry, itchy, inflamed skin. Many parents worry about using eczema creams for a long time especially on young children. This study followed 562 kids ages 2-5 for one year. The main goal was to see if the cream was safe for long-term use.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved roflumilast cream 0.05% (Zoryve®) for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children ages 2 to 5 in October 2025.
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Listen to the Eczema Cream for Children Podcast
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Thank you to Arcutis for supporting this podcast episode.
This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Any mention of brands is also informational and not an endorsement. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical questions or concerns.
Highlights About the Study on a Long-Term Eczema Cream for Young Children
The INTEGUMENT-OLE study asked if a non-steroid eczema cream is safe for toddlers to use for a full year.
- Is roflumilast cream a steroid? Roflumilast is a non-steroid cream. It calms the signal in skin cells that turns on inflammation.
- Is it safe for toddlers to use roflumilast long term? Safety was the main goal of the study. Only 2.5% of kids had side effects that doctors linked to the cream.
- Did the eczema get better? After a year, about 6 in 10 kids had clear or almost clear skin. Itch also got much better for more than half of the kids.
- Can you use roflumilast just twice a week to maintain clear skin? Children whose skin cleared could switch to using the cream twice a week.
Timestamps for the Podcast About Eczema Treatment in Young Children
01:32 — What is eczema (atopic dermatitis)
03:22 — Problems with current eczema treatments
07:40 — What is proactive eczema treatment
09:27 — How roflumilast works
13:01 — What is an open-label extension (OLE)
16:04 — How the study was run
21:40 — How they measured safety and results
26:26 — How long clear skin lasted
30:04 — Safety results
33:12 — How well the cream worked
35:52 — Clear skin with twice-a-week use
37:42 — What the researchers said
39:09 — Study limitations
40:47 — Doctor takeaways
More Resources About Eczema in Children
- Read the study: INTEGUMENT-OLE in Pediatric Dermatology
- What Is Eczema?
- Eczema Medication and Treatment
- Living with Eczema
