Atopic eczema is the most common form of the disease among New Zealanders. The skin condition causes dry, itchy, inflamed skin, affecting approximately one in three people at some point in their lives.
New findings by a team of scientists from the United States NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology indicate two particular chemicals are responsible for triggering eczema in many cases - and these chemicals are likely hidden in our own homes.
Ian A Myles is a principal investigator at the NIH, specializing in allergy and immunology.
Susie asks him why people seem to be more allergic than they used to be.
Photo: Landon Smothers
