A three-year-old girl in Denmark entered early puberty after exposure to a parent's hormone spray. The incident highlights the risks of hormone transfer from skin applications, prompting warnings from health professionals.
Hormone Spray Causes Early Puberty in Three-Year-Old Girl
Hormone Spray Causes Early Puberty in Three-Year-Old Girl
A parent sprayed themselves with sex hormones, leading to a three-year-old girl developing breasts and pubic hair.
A three-year-old girl in Denmark has entered "early puberty" after one of her parents sprayed sex hormones on their forearms, reports Danish BT. The parent is a transgender person born biologically male and uses female sex hormones as part of their treatment.
The girl came into contact with the hormone, resulting in the development of breasts and pubic hair.
Baby Girl Developed Micropenis
Earlier this summer, Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg warned that parents taking hormone medication could transfer sex hormones to their children. In one case, a ten-month-old girl developed a micropenis.
Chief physician Astrid Ditte Højgaard at the Sexological Center in Aalborg, Denmark, co-authored a report on the case of the three-year-old girl, published in 2023. She now warns that hormone treatment can affect others.
– This risk applies to anyone applying medication to the skin. Grandparents can transfer it to grandchildren, pet owners to their animals, and so on. In principle, anyone can be affected, she told BT and continued:
"Want to Warn About the Risk"
– We want to warn about this risk. First with a report on the case of the three-year-old girl aimed at healthcare professionals. Now I hope we can reach the general public when I speak with you.
She advises that people using hormone preparations should wear long-sleeved shirts and wash their hands after spraying or applying it to their arms. This applies to a large number of older men using testosterone, she says.
Last month, Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg warned that children could be exposed to parents' hormone treatments with sprays or creams. In one case, eight years ago, the genitals of a ten-month-old baby girl had significantly enlarged.
High Level of Testosterone
– She had developed a micropenis, and the clitoris and labia had grown unnaturally. Blood tests also showed she had very high levels of testosterone, said Jovanna Dahlgren, chief physician and professor of pediatric endocrinology at Sahlgrenska, to Göteborgs-Posten.
The girl's father used to apply testosterone gel to his chest – and the baby used to lie on his chest. When doctors discovered this, the father stopped using the cream on his chest, and the girl's genitals gradually decreased in size.