der oil, but now Korach and Ramsey have new evidence of why these essential oils could be harmful to boys after all.
In a new analysis, the researchers tested eight specific chemicals of the hundreds that appear in lavender or tea tree oil, testing them in the lab against human breast cancer cells.
The experiments revealed all eight of the chemicals tested classify as endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs), displaying varying levels of oestrogenic and/or anti-androgenic (testosterone-inhibiting) properties.
While some of the chemicals tested didn't actually have much of an effect, others did, and all were technically EDCs capable of contributing to the stimulation of mammary gland conditions in boys' bodies, the researchers say.
Even more alarmingly, the EDCs the team tested aren't contained to just lavender and tea tree oil – they're also present in at least 65 other essential oils currently on the market.
All up, these 67 extracts are contained in a huge range of products that don't require a prescription to buy, and which aren't regulated by the FDA, and the researchers warn it's important we learn more about the potential risks these oils may present.
But others explain that because of the limited amount of data we have so far on this rare phenomenon, we shouldn't jump to conclusions about the dangers of essential oils – especially since the latest findings haven't yet had a chance to be peer-reviewed by other experts.
While acknowledging that the new evidence seems to confirm why lavender and tea tree oil have this effect on young boys, paediatrician Ieuan Hughes from the University of Cambridge, who wasn't involved in the study, says there's still a lot we don't know.
"Not everyone exposing themselves to such oils has adverse effects, so it is possible there are particular individuals who may be more sensitive to the effects of the chemicals, or perhaps are using the products in excess," Hughes told the BBC.
"There is a complex relationship between oestrogen, testosterone and other hormones in the body, that cannot be replicated in these experiments," he added.
"Clearly, the longer-term effects of such exposure are unknown."
The findings are being presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on Monday.