Prepubertal Gynecomastia Linked to Lavender and Tea Tree Oils

[blitzen]

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa064725

Most cases of male prepubertal gynecomastia are classified as idiopathic. We investigated possible causes of gynecomastia in three prepubertal boys who were otherwise healthy and had normal serum concentrations of endogenous steroids. In all three boys, gynecomastia coincided with the topical application of products that contained lavender and tea tree oils. Gynecomastia resolved in each patient shortly after the use of products containing these oils was discontinued. Furthermore, studies in human cell lines indicated that the two oils had estrogenic and antiandrogenic activities. We conclude that repeated topical exposure to lavender and tea tree oils probably caused prepubertal gynecomastia in these boys.

 

[Vince Carter]

hmmm well that's interesting.

 

[AbsoluteZ3R0]

What an ostensibly random thing to study. How did it occur to them to investigate lavender/tea tree oils and what prepubertal boys do they know that regularly apply lavender and tea tree products? Is it just me or does this apply to virtually no one? When I was 12 or 13 I had some hard, extremely painful lumps in my nipples for a few weeks. I remember my friend and I were roughhousing when he punched me in the chest. That was one of the most painful experiences of my life lol. Thankfully, the lumps went away after several weeks and the issue seemed to resolve itself completely without any intervention.