Common and different roles of IL-4 and IL-13 in skin allergy and clinical implications Purpose of review This review summarizes the mode of action of IL-4 and IL-13 in skin allergy, upcoming therapeutics and depicts key outcomes of the latest clinical trials. Recent findings Atopic dermatitis is considered to be one of the most common inflammatory skin disease in industrialized countries. Accompanied by strong pruritus, atopic dermatitis has a significant impact on quality of life in severely affected individuals. Aside from unspecific immunosuppressant medications, therapeutics targeting the key cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 and their downstream mediators are under development or have been approved just recently with outstanding potential. Summary The recent development of several biologics and small compounds has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of atopic dermatitis, and applying this set of state-of-the-art drugs will provide a unique chance to gain insights into this skin disorder, patient subgroups, and key inflammatory mediators. Correspondence to Jana Zeitvogel, Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research, Department of Dermatology, Allergy and Venereology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Tel: +49 511 532 5074; e-mail. Zeitvogel.jana@mh-hannover.de Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.