Toiletries can leave boys with abnormal breast growth

LAVENDER and tea tree oils found in some shampoos, soaps and lotions can temporarily leave boys with enlarged breasts in rare cases, apparently by disrupting their hormonal balance, a preliminary study suggests.

While advising parents to consider the possible risk, several hormone experts emphasised the problem appears to happen infrequently and clears up when the oils are no longer used. None of those interviewed called for a ban on sales.

The study reported on the condition, gynecomastia, in three boys aged four, seven and 10. They all went back to normal when they stopped using skin lotions, hair gel, shampoo or soap with the natural oils.