Can a baby girl really sprout a “micropenis” from cuddling her dad?
Short answer: A Swedish infant’s genitals did enlarge after repeated skin-to-skin contact with her father’s testosterone gel—but doctors say calling it a “micropenis” is wrong. Here’s the stranger-than-fiction chain of events, what the headlines missed, and how parents can keep cuddle time safe.
The Eye-Popping Detail We Verified First
Yes, the case is real. Göteborgs-Posten and other Swedish outlets document a 10-month-old girl whose clitoris lengthened and labia partially fused after months of lying on her dad’s bare torso—exactly where he rubbed in a prescription testosterone gel. (Source: gp.se)
Professor Jovanna Dahlgren, the pediatric endocrinologist who treated the child, has logged at least six similar Swedish cases of accidental hormone transfer. She told reporters, “People don’t always understand how potent these treatments are.”
Where the Viral Headline Goes Off-Track
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“Micropenis” is the wrong word.
• A micropenis is an undersized penis in a male.
• The Swedish infant was a female whose genitals were masculinized—a form of virilization. -
“Chest application” isn’t on the label.
• FDA-approved gels such as AndroGel 1.62 % instruct men to apply to shoulders or upper arms, not the chest.
• Either the father applied it incorrectly or used an older 1 % formula that once allowed abdominal placement.
How a Gentle Cuddle Turned Hormonal
Think of testosterone gel as far stronger than sunscreen: it soaks through skin and keeps leaching out for hours. If a baby’s thin skin meets that fresh patch, she absorbs a dose her tiny body has never seen.
FDA prescribing info even carries a red-border “boxed warning” for exactly this scenario—child virilization after secondary exposure. (Source: DailyMed)
The Bigger Picture: Testosterone Therapy Is Booming
• U.S. prescriptions jumped from 7.3 million in 2019 to over 11 million in 2024. (CBS News)
• Celebrity users—from Sylvester Stallone to podcaster Joe Rogan—tout its age-defying buzz.
• TikTok tags like #TRTBeforeAndAfter rack up millions of views, fueling demand among men in their 20s and 30s.
That popularity widens the pool of households where hormone gels sit on bathroom counters or, worse, already-treated skin.
Other Children, Other Hormones
Dahlgren recalls a 10-year-old Swedish boy who sprouted breast tissue after hugging his mom, who was using estrogen cream for menopause symptoms. The chemistry is simple: hormones don’t respect family bonds; they follow skin contact.
What Doctors Recommend (and Men Sometimes Skip)
- Apply only to labeled areas.
- Wash hands immediately after application.
- Cover the site with clothing once dry.
- Shower before close contact if cuddling infants.
- Consider non-gel options (injections, patches) when there are small kids at home.
Miss a step and you’ve turned yourself into a 24-hour hormone patch—for everyone you touch.
Side-Effects for Users—and the Unintended
Well-publicized risks for men include acne, fluid retention, smaller testicles, reduced fertility, and worsened sleep apnea. (Source: Cleveland Clinic)
For children who absorb it, documented effects range from pubic hair growth to deepened voice in girls, and stunted height in boys—changes that sometimes require months to reverse once exposure stops.
What We Still Don’t Know
• Under-reporting: The Swedish cluster hints at more unlogged cases worldwide.
• Long-term impact: Data on fertility or psychological effects in accidentally exposed infants are scarce.
• Threshold dose: Researchers can’t yet pin down how much contact, or how many minutes, tips a child into danger.
Until those blanks are filled, endocrinologists urge a simple rule: treat hormone gels like prescription-strength paint thinner—don’t get it on anyone else.
Bottom Line
• A baby girl can experience genital changes from her father’s testosterone gel, but she does not grow a “micropenis.”
• The incident is rare yet scientifically plausible—and preventable with proper drug handling.
• As testosterone therapy surges, the number of at-risk infants rises, making awareness more critical than ever.
So go ahead, hold your newborn close; that bond is priceless.
Just make sure any “man-boosting” gel stays between dad and the shower drain, not between dad and baby.