Researchers have discovered a way to help prevent eczema and common allergies with a simple cream that only needs to be applied twice a day.
The cream aims to strengthen a baby's skin barrier, helping it to block out allergens.
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Associate Professor Adrian Lowe from the University of Melbourne said babies have a poor skin barrier, and those with the poorest are more likely to develop eczema and food allergies.
But the trial of a cream, EpiCeram, hopes to help prevent the development of both conditions.
"This cream has shown very promising results in our earlier trial," Lowe said.
"We found there was a reduction of eczema by about a half."
The trial led by the University of Melbourne and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute now needs 760 babies for the next phase of the trial, before the cream is made available to the public.
“In the first phase we tested the safety of EpiCeram and no adverse reactions occurred. In our second phase, 80 babies were recruited, and our intervention showed a very promising reduction in the rate of not only eczema but also sensitization to food allergens, a marker of food allergy," Lowe said.
Professor Mimi Tang from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute said she was excited to be working on a preventative treatment for children.
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"If this strategy is effective, it will be a major step forward for families and the community in terms of preventing allergy problems," Tang said.
Young babies with a history of food allergies in their family may be eligible to participate in the trial.
"They need to be very young, so either the mum can sign up when she's still pregnant or when the baby is in its first three weeks of life," Lowe said.
For more information on the trial, click here.