A survey of use of hormone/placenta-containing hair preparations by parents and/or children attending pediatric clinics.
OBJECTIVE
To survey the frequency of use of certain hair-treatment products containing hormones or placenta among different racial groups attending the pediatric clinics of military medical treatment facilities.


METHODS
Parents/caretakers attending pediatric clinics at four U.S. Army hospital clinics were requested to complete a questionnaire listing hormone/placenta-containing hair products.


RESULTS
Of the 521 respondents, 64% of African-Americans and 6.9% of whites used products containing hormone/placenta (p < 0.0001). Of those parents who used such products, 55.5% used them on their children. An additional 5.5% of children (from a restricted sample) went to a barber and might have been exposed to hormone/placenta-containing products. Analysis of four products showed the presence of estriol and/or estradiol.


CONCLUSIONS
A majority of African-Americans but very few whites use hair products containing hormone/placenta, and more than half of those who use such hair products also used them on their children. We speculate that the use of these hair products on children may effect their sexual maturation.
Tiwary
C M
CM
Department of Pediatrics, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA.
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D002648:Child; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D006203:Hair Preparations / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010924:Placental Extracts; D014481:United States
D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D006203:Hair Preparations; D010924:Placental Extracts