Here in the UK, 1 in 5 children and 1 in 12 adults suffer from atopic eczema, a painful and debilitating condition that causes dry, red and itchy skin.

It typically affects the hands, the backs of the knees and the inner elbows and although we’re still unsure what causes it in the first place, we know of several different triggers that can aggravate the condition, such as soaps, food allergies and stress.

There is currently no cure for eczema, and for many sufferers, the most reliable way of controlling the symptoms is to use powerful corticosteroid creams, but these can cause side effects and ideally should only be used in short bursts.

However, a new approach now being trialled in the Netherlands has the potential to help alleviate eczema symptoms without side effects by targeting particular bacteria that live on the skin.

Not only that, but this treatment has the potential to be a powerful new weapon in the wider battle against bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.