Expert issues warning after baby girl grows ‘micropenis’ after lying on dad’s bare chest

Professor Jovanna Dahlgren has urged parents to be cautious around potent products.

An expert has issued a warning after a baby girl grew a 'micropenis' after lying on her dad's bare chest.

Doctors in Sweden have been left stunned; however, Professor Jovanna Dahlgren has said that she is aware of half a dozen incidents of its kind.

The pediatric endocrinology expert revealed that she has seen parents become 'completely desperate' when they realise what is happening.

The little girl in this particular case had repeatedly laid on her father's chest with skin-to-skin contact, which is considered a key part of the bonding stage for new parents.

While the bonding experience helps regulate a baby's temperature, breathing, heart rate, and immunity to infections, in this case her father had been using a testosterone gel product.

It is a commonly prescribed gel for men who don't produce enough testosterone naturally; however, Mayo Clinic warned that men must 'allow the skin to air-dry, then cover with clothing to prevent others from coming in contact with the medication on your skin'.

However, it seems the man did not realise laying his daughter on his chest before the gel dried off could expose her to the hormone.

The 10-month-old's genitalia was bizarrely changed as the hormone exposure caused her clitoris to grow longer, resembling a small penis.

Local media dubbed the growth a 'micropenis' but Swedish medics have explained that this is not true, as that term actually describes underdeveloped male genitalia.

The child's parents were determined to get to the bottom of the case, with blood tests revealing that the tot had dangerously high levels of testosterone in her system.

As the child stopped being exposed to the hormone, her genitalia began shrinking back to its normal size.

Professor Dahlgren warned that despite this medical saga taking place eight years ago, she has seen similar cases since then.

Speaking to Swedish newspaper Göteborgs-Posten, she said: "I don't think people always understand how potent these treatments are."

"The parents become completely desperate when they understand what has happened."