Patients were taken swimming in the Dead Sea by a Bradford boffin to help them overcome a disfiguring skin complaint.

Research by the University of Brad-ford's internationally-renowned dermatologist Professor Karin Schallreuter has led to new advances in the treatment of vitiligo, a pigmentary disorder.

The therapy she has developed and tested on people in Jordan has helped to boost the return of lost skin colour.

Professor Schallreuter travelled to the Dead Sea in Jordan with a group of patients suffering from vitiligo.

She discovered that the special climate of the region and the Dead Sea water, when used in combination with a specially developed cream, pseudocatalase PC-KUS, noticeably improved the patients' skin condition.

The trip involved 92 patients from all over the world.

After only 21 days in Jordan the recovery of the skin pigmentation was significantly faster, using a combination of these treatments.

"Each patient bathed in the water of the Dead Sea for 15 minutes," Professor Schallreuter said. "After a shower to remove the salty water, they applied the cream and sunbathed for one hour. This was repeated in the late afternoon.

"The results using this combined treatment can be quite remarkable."The professor added: "Patients can suffer a great deal of psychological damage with only one spot of vitiligo. Showing them the results we can achieve in such a small time is a very rewarding experience."