Tanya Dyer suffered from eczema since she was a year old. At first, it affected only the skin behind her knees and could be controlled with emollient creams.

However, when she was 11, Tanya's eczema suddenly worsened, eventually spreading over her whole body. Despite potent steroid creams and frequent bandaging, her condition did not improve.

'For years, Tanya suffered the most terrible problems. She would be so uncomfortable, itching and scratching all the time,' says her mother, Audrey from South London.

'I would bandage her every day, even in the summer, but nothing helped. In the end, I gave up taking her to the hospital.'

Tanya ended up consulting a herbalist, who recommended hemp seed oil.

Because the essential fatty acids in it act as an internal moisturiser for the skin, they can help combat the dryness and cracking of eczema and calm inflammation.

Tanya started taking a teaspoon of hemp seed oil three times a day. She also used a skin cream based on hemp oil every day. To her delight, her symptoms gradually started to improve.

'Over several weeks, Tanya's skin, which had been flaky and leathery, started to smooth out,' says Audrey.

Hemp seed oil does not contain the psychoactive substances associated with the cannabis plant. It looks similar to a dark olive oil, but has a flavour similar to sunflower oil.

It can be taken straight or used in food. It should not be heated because this affects its chemical nature, dramatically reducing its beneficial effects.