Protopic Ointment in Adult Atopic Eczema of the Face

Inclusion Criteria: * Moderate to severe AD (Rajka \& Langeland score) with lesions to the head and neck defined as 'red face' or 'facial eczema': erythema affecting at least 10% of the surface of the 'face' (head, neck, chest, nape of neck), due to long-term AD * At least two flare-ups of 'facial' eczema during the 12 months prior to inclusion and, in the investigator's opinion, conventional treatment had proved ineffective or poorly tolerated * Female patients of childbearing age: effective means of contraception throughout the period of the study and for four weeks following the end of the study * Informed consent * Therapeutic washout for atopic dermatitis treatments Exclusion Criteria: * Genetic epidermal barrier defect, such as Netherton's syndrome, or suffering from erythroderma * Seborrheic dermatitis or contact dermatitis affecting the 'face', or any other facial erythema of non-atopic origin * Clinical infection due to the VZV virus (varicella, zona), HSV1-2 viruses (herpes), verruca vulgaris or molluscum contagiosum * Superinfected eczema * Known hypersensitivity to macrolides or to any other excipient in tacrolimus 0.1% ointment * Known hypersensitivity to one of the agents contained in the fluticasone 0.005% ointment preparation * Ulcerated lesions, of whatever type * Moderate to severe acne or rosacea * Patients who participated at the same time in another clinical study or who had participated in another clinical study within 28 days prior to inclusion in the study * Any type of substance abuse (including that of drugs and alcohol) or any mental disorder/psychological state which, in the investigator's opinion, might interfere with the patient's follow-up * Serologically-proven HIV positivity