What’s New in the Medicine Chest: Seborrheic Dermatitis

At the recent Winter Clinical Miami Conference, James Del Rosso, DO, a dermatologist based in Las Vegas, presented his talk titled, “What’s New in the Medicine Chest?” The session provided insights into new therapies and highlighted innovative uses of existing treatments for dermatological conditions. One of the key discussions revolved around the off-label use of tapinarof 1% cream for seborrheic dermatitis.

Tapinarof 1% cream is FDA-approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in both adults and pediatric populations. However, Del Rosso spotlighted an off-label application reported by Naim Issa, MD. “This was an off-label use reported by Dr. Naim Issa and his group in patients being treated with topical tapinarof 1% cream once a day for seborrheic dermatitis on glabrous skin,” Del Rosso explained.

The reported cases involved patients with seborrheic dermatitis affecting the face and chest, without scalp involvement. While FDA-approved options exist for seborrheic dermatitis, such as topical roflumilast 0.3% foam—which is approved for use down to the age of 9— Del Rosso noted the value of exploring additional alternatives. “This is another option that is proposed based on aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibition, which does make sense theoretically as to why it may help seborrheic dermatitis,” he said.

Although the data is limited to a small number of cases, the results were promising. “The patients did very well, pretty rapidly,” Del Rosso shared, emphasizing the potential for tapinarof to offer clinicians another option for managing this condition. However, he cautioned that this use is not FDA-approved and underscored the importance of continued research.

Del Rosso also highlighted the efficacy of topical roflumilast 0.3% foam, which has strong clinical data supporting its use, including in areas such as the scalp. While this remains a primary option for seborrheic dermatitis, the discussion of tapinarof demonstrates the ongoing evolution of dermatological treatments.

Del Rosso concluded his presentation with a reminder to clinicians about the importance of balancing innovation with evidence-based practice. “It’s nice to know there are other options, but we need more research to better define their role,” he stated.

The presentation reinforced the need for ongoing investigation into both approved and experimental therapies, offering clinicians a broader toolkit to manage complex skin conditions.

To read and listen to more of our conference coverage, click here.

Click here for more insights from Del Rosso, including the full interview with Dermatology Times on his presentation at Winter Clinical 2025.