A special cream created by Bradford scientists to help combat a disfiguring skin disorder is proving to be a huge success.

The University of Bradford's renowned dermatologist Karin Shallreuter and her team have found the combination of water from the Dead Sea, the climate of Jordan and the cream can help people who suffer from vitiligo.

Vitiligo causes the skin to lose its colour and results in white patches.

Prof Shallreuter and her colleagues have just returned from a trip to the Middle Eastern Kingdom where 108 patients, from 16 different countries, tried the combination.

And within just three weeks their skin was showing signs of recovery.

Prof Shallreuter said: "This is a unique experience for the group because patients often feel isolated and suffer a great deal of psychological stress, even if they have just one spot of vitiligo.

"We found that after only 21 days in Jordan the recovery of the skin pigmentation is significantly faster using one of these treatments."

The disorder is associated with a build-up of the oxygen-related molecule hydrogen peroxide in the skin.

Sufferers cannot fight the development because of a shortage of an enzyme in the skin.

The cream, pseudocatalase PC-KUS, which was developed by Prof Shallreuter and colleague Professor John Wood, helps replace this enzyme.

Each patient bathed in the Dead Sea for 15 minutes and, after a shower, applied the cream and sunbathed for an hour.

The routine was repeated later in the day.

The children's condition will now be monitored to see if they keep their pigmentation.

The team has taken groups to Jordan before as part of ongoing research to find a cure for the condition.

On the last trip Prof Shallreuter also initiated an international research programme in partnership with Jordan Hospital, in Amman, and the department of biomedical sciences.