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.
Source Information
From the Receptor Biology Section, Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC (D.V.H., K.S.K.); the Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver (N.L., C.A.B.); and Pediatric Endocrine Associates, Greenwood Village, CO (C.A.B.).
Address reprint requests to Dr. Korach at the Receptor Biology Section, Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, MD B3-02, P.O. Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, or at korach{at}niehs.nih.gov.
Related Letters:
Prepubertal Gynecomastia Linked to Lavender and Tea Tree Oils
Kemper K. J., Romm A. J., Gardiner P., Kalyan S., Kurtz J. L., Dean C. J., Bloch C. A., Korach K. S.
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N Engl J Med 2007;
356:2541-2544, Jun 14, 2007.
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