Scientists have discovered that certain proteins can kill off a strain of yeast implicated in the cause of skin disorders such as atopic eczema, seborrhoeic eczema and dandruff, without harming healthy skin cells.

The study at Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute was published in the journal Letters in Applied Microbiology, found that six (five CPPs and one antimicrobial peptide) of the 21 peptides successfully killed the yeast without damage to the membranes of the keratinocytes.

They hope that the discovery will lead to new treatments for these skin conditions.