A survey of use of hormone/placenta-containing hair preparations by parents and/or children attending pediatric clinics

Abstract

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.