Vitiligo topical treatments
Only one of these five topical medicines is approved for vitiligo; the other four are borrowed off-label from other conditions.
Five evidence guides
Choose a topical to explore
US-approved vitiligo use
Opzeluraruxolitinib cream
Cream · 1.5%
FDA-approved in the US for nonsegmental vitiligo in adults and children age 12 and older. Checked 7 August 2026.
European Union: the European Medicines Agency record shows a marketing authorisation dated 19 April 2023, held by Incyte Biosciences Distribution B.V. It covers non segmental vitiligo with facial involvement in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age. That authorised population is narrower than the US one because it requires facial involvement. Checked 17 August 2026. Great Britain: not established in the records SteadySkin reviewed. An authorisation in one jurisdiction is not an approval in another.
Why you may be hereYou may be checking the US-approved vitiligo option against its age, diagnosis, warning, and access boundaries.
Read the Opzelura evidence guideOff-label vitiligo use
Protopictacrolimus ointment
Ointment · 0.03% and 0.1%
Used off-label for vitiligo in the US. Its FDA-approved indication is atopic dermatitis, not vitiligo.
Why you may be hereYou may have been offered tacrolimus and want to understand off-label use, the ointment form, and the boxed-warning context.
Read the Protopic evidence guideOff-label vitiligo use
Elidelpimecrolimus cream
Cream · 1%
Used off-label for vitiligo in the US. Its FDA-approved indication is atopic dermatitis, not vitiligo.
Why you may be hereYou may be comparing this cream with tacrolimus and need to see where its product-specific vitiligo evidence is more limited.
Read the Elidel evidence guideOff-label vitiligo use
Topical corticosteroidsmometasone, clobetasol, betamethasone and others
Multiple products and forms · the exact ingredient matters
Common guideline-backed, off-label vitiligo treatment in the US. The exact product and potency matter.
Why you may be hereYou may have been prescribed a “steroid cream” and need to identify the exact product, potency, body-site limits, and risks.
Read the Topical corticosteroids evidence guideLower-confidence · off-label
Calcipotrienecalcipotriol · vitamin D analog
Cream · 0.005%
FDA-approved for psoriasis, not vitiligo. Sometimes discussed off-label as an add-on, but current vitiligo evidence is limited and inconsistent.
Why you may be hereYou may have heard of this psoriasis medicine as an add-on and want to understand why its vitiligo evidence is lower-confidence.
Read the Calcipotriene evidence guideThis directory does not recommend a treatment. A qualified clinician must confirm the diagnosis, exact product, body area, warnings, and whether an option fits you.
What does this directory distinguish?
Opzelura (ruxolitinib cream) is approved in the US for nonsegmental vitiligo. Protopic or generic tacrolimus, Elidel or generic pimecrolimus, and topical steroids are used off-label for vitiligo. Calcipotriene is also off-label. It is marked lower-confidence because the evidence for vitiligo is limited and mixed. Cards show regulator-labeled forms and strengths but do not give a use plan. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence
Why this matters
The linked US labels show approved uses, forms, strengths, and warnings. Opzelura also has its own EU approval, dated 19 April 2023, for vitiligo that affects the face. The vitiligo guideline gives context for off-label topical use and calcipotriene’s weaker footing.
Questions for your next conversation
- Which exact product and goal are we considering?Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.
Evidence behind this page
Sources
Each evidence badge opens the source and its limits. The full list stays available here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent efficacy evidence.
What this source supports
Supports the approved indication and product-specific local and systemic corticosteroid warnings for this ointment.
What it does not support
It is one current US product label, not a vitiligo indication, a class-wide substitute for every corticosteroid label or independent evidence of vitiligo benefit.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
Protopic (tacrolimus) ointment: US prescribing information and Medication Guide (opens in a new tab)
DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent efficacy evidence.
What this source supports
It establishes the US atopic-dermatitis indication, boxed warning, local effects, long-term-use precaution, and ultraviolet instructions for this product.
What it does not support
It does not approve tacrolimus for vitiligo, establish vitiligo efficacy, or resolve off-label guideline discussion of supervised combinations.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent efficacy evidence.
What this source supports
Supports the US atopic-dermatitis indication, boxed warning, application-site effects, long-term-use precaution and instructions to avoid ultraviolet treatment and minimize natural or artificial sunlight.
What it does not support
It does not approve pimecrolimus for vitiligo, establish vitiligo efficacy or resolve off-label guideline discussion of supervised combinations.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent vitiligo evidence.
What this source supports
Supports the psoriasis indication, 0.005% cream strength, current tube presentations, local irritation and dermatitis reports, the instruction not to use the cream on the face, contraindications for hypercalcemia or vitamin D toxicity, and calcium-related and ultraviolet precautions.
What it does not support
It does not approve calcipotriene for vitiligo, establish vitiligo benefit, or support a self-directed combination.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- European Medicines AgencyRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the European Union marketing authorisation dated 19 April 2023, the marketing authorisation holder Incyte Biosciences Distribution B.V., and the authorised EU indication wording: “Opzelura is indicated for the treatment of non segmental vitiligo with facial involvement in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age.” It also supports that the authorised EU population is narrower than the US one because it requires facial involvement.
What it does not support
It does not establish the separate US indication, Great Britain or MHRA status, national pricing, reimbursement or pharmacy availability, comparative superiority, individual suitability, or any use plan.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the defined US nonsegmental-vitiligo indication, limitations of use, boxed warnings, skin-cancer and ultraviolet precautions, and clinical-study labeling.
What it does not support
It does not guarantee benefit, establish suitability beyond the labeled population or authorize adding phototherapy.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- British Journal of Dermatology (Eleftheriadou V, et al.)Guideline · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the clinical history and assessment domains, evaluation of associated autoimmune conditions, its recommendation for thyroid function and antithyroid antibody screening, current classification context, treatment-option map, psychosocial assessment, medical photography and the limits of pediatric evidence. Its classification table defines mucosal vitiligo as the oral or genital mucosae. One mucosal site alone is filed as undetermined or unclassified. Its differential diagnosis table lists genital or extragenital lichen sclerosus among the conditions that can be mistaken for vitiligo. That table also lists eczema, psoriasis, lichen planus, pityriasis alba and piebaldism. It calls autoimmunity a contributor to the pathogenesis of vitiligo. It reports an earlier review finding a possible negative impact on intimacy and sexual functioning. It tells clinicians to discuss the psychosocial impact of living with the condition.
What it does not support
It was designed for UK care and reviewed literature through May 2019; it does not establish a universal testing plan, prescribe an individual plan, or establish current US labeling or coverage. Its differential diagnosis table is a list, not a method a reader can apply to their own skin. It does not say how to tell any two of those conditions apart. It gives no figure for how often vitiligo affects genital skin.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.