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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)
Medical validation:
July 04, 2022
In the UK, a two-year-old boy showed signs of precocious puberty after being exposed to his father’s testosterone gel. Dr. Kierzek’s advice to avoid any form of accidental contamination at home.
The story seems surprising, and yet: many cases of exposure to testosterone have been recorded in the United States. The pattern is identical each time: the child, exposed via contact with the skin that receives the hormonal gel, develops worrying signs of puberty: pubic hair, massive and prolonged erections, overdeveloped muscles…
Exceptionally fast growth
It was at the age of one year that Barnaby Brownsell, a little boy living in England, began to develop worrying symptoms.
“He weighed 12 kilos at the age of one and gained almost a kilo every month between 12 and 18 months. It was not fat, just muscle. He also had massive erections and prolonged (…) I knew it was not normal”revealed Erica Brownsell, her mother, to Insider magazine.
But it is only when her son has “pubic hair” around his “imposing penis”, that the young mother really becomes aware of the problem. Her son, then two years old, looked like a 4 or 5 year old boy.
To understand what is happening to their child, the parents decide to consult a pediatric endocrinologist at Everlina London Children’s Hospital – Dr Tony Hulse.
A testosterone level equivalent to that of an adult
Blood tests quickly show that Barnaby has an abnormally high level of testosterone – as much as an adult man – when this should be insignificant for his age. He also has impressive musculature and the bone density of a 4.5 year old.
One of Dr. Hulse’s colleagues suspects testosterone exposure. A hypothesis quickly confirmed: the father indeed applied a testosterone-based gel to his skin daily.
“This case is interesting, because it shows that the exposure can be indirect: here, it is the cream carried by the father which contaminates the child. This transfer is possible for all topical products: cortisone creams, anti -inflammatory… All of them can lead to dangerous side effects in children”warns Dr. Kierzek.
Creams, gel… essential precautions with topical products
Parents or relatives of a child must be particularly vigilant when faced with this type of cream, gel or ointment: the absorption of a topical product is never complete and can pass through clothing.
“The important thing is not to have cream all over your hands, to use disposable gloves if possible and above all, to keep your children away from their temporarily contaminated skin”advises Dr. Kierzek.
Symptoms that should alert in case of exposure to testosterone? Acne, pubic hair, armpit hair and oversized reproductive organs.
In the United States, more than 20 cases like Barnaby’s – exposed to the drug AndroGel – have been reported to the Federal Drug Administration.