adapalene vs crisaborole
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of adapalene and crisaborole. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Differin
Eucrisa
No summary available.
Eucrisa is a medicine used on the skin to treat eczema. It helps reduce swelling and itching.
Information not available.
Eucrisa treats mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. Eczema is a skin condition that causes dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. Eucrisa can be used for adults and children 3 months and older. It helps to relieve the symptoms of eczema.
Information not available.
Eucrisa contains crisaborole, which is a phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor. This medicine works by blocking PDE4. Blocking PDE4 reduces inflammation in the skin, which helps to relieve eczema symptoms.
- • Dry skin
- • Contact dermatitis (skin rash)
- • Burning feeling on the skin where you put the medicine
- • Skin irritation
- • Pain where you put the medicine
- Dry Skin 44,990
- Skin Burning Sensation 41,633
- Acne 39,264
- Erythema 38,379
- Skin Irritation 26,225
- Application Site Pain 1,415
- Burning Sensation 985
- Condition Aggravated 699
- Pruritus 624
- Rash 597
No specific warnings noted.
If you have a hypersensitivity reaction, stop using Eucrisa right away. Signs of a reaction include severe itching, swelling, and redness at the application site or somewhere else on your body.
No pregnancy information available.
Not enough information is available to know if Eucrisa is safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if Eucrisa passes into breast milk, so discuss this with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This adapalene vs crisaborole Comparison
adapalene is classified in the Retinoid (Topical) drug class, while crisaborole sits within the PDE4 Inhibitor (Topical) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, adapalene has 190,491 submissions while crisaborole has 4,320. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for adapalene or crisaborole.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.