Lavender and Tea Tree Oil May Elevate Estrogen Levels

The New England Journal of Medicine published an article in January 2007 suggesting that the repeated use of lavender and tea tree oil products can cause breast growth in boys. It appears that lavender and tea tree oil mimic the effects of estrogen and inhibit the effects of androgen.

If this occurs in boys, there is reason to believe that these oils can also affect the estrogen levels in women, especially estrogen sensitive women such as those with endometriosis. I used tea tree oil shampoo almost every day for seven years before stopping about one month ago. Shortly after I stopped, my endometrioma (cyst) and a growth in my uterus both decreased in size. I am not sure if there is a connection, but I do know that I have been tested to have higher-than-average estrogen levels in the second phase of my menstrual cycle and I do not want to use any product that has been shown to increase estrogen levels, even if the tests have only be done on boys.

It might be a good idea for women who have endometriosis, especially those who have tested to be estrogen dominant to discontinue the use of products with lavender and tea tree oil. Be aware that many products contain lavender as a fragrance but do not list lavender in the ingredients, instead listing the catch-all of "fragrance".

Endometriosis Doctors - It's really hard to tell a good one from a not-so-good one

Personally, I really don't know how to tell a good endometriosis doctor from a not-so-good one. There are lots of websites out there that list doctors whom have been recommended by friends and readers. However, not all of the doctors listed are necessarily "experts". In fact, given the uncertainty around what causes endometriosis and how to cure it, I wonder if there are any true experts out there. I've heard that endo doctors in Europe have a leg up on U.S. doctors. Frankly, I have no idea.

I would be most impressed by a doctor who recommended alternative treatments along with (or instead of) the conventional ones and who seemed to have a good grasp and respect for both. So far, my doctor, Dr. Goldman, seems to be aware of alternative treatments, but doesn't seem to have any real faith in them. He, instead, only seems to have true faith in birth control pills, Lupron and other more drastic (less natural) means of dealing with endo. This may be sheer wisdom on his part. He may have seen women trying various alternative techniques throughout the decades with no real results. Part of me feels, however, that he, like most conventional doctors out there, just naturally gravitates toward medical solutions and doesn't put much weight in food, diet, supplements or progesterone cream as being able to accomplish much in terms of curing something like endometriosis. This being said, I did use him for my first surgery and am using him for my second surgery.

I will caution readers against one doctor: Masahide D. Kanayama a practioner in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticutt. This is not because I have proof that he is a good or bad doctor. He may be an excellent endometriosis surgeon. What bothered me so much about Dr. Kanayama, whom I met in person after I saw his name listed on Endo Resolved (a website that I actually think is good in terms of presenting lots of traditional and alternative information on endometriosis) is that he claims to have won several awards as being "the top" or "a top" endometriosis surgeon in the U.S., when in fact many, if not all of the awards are questionable at best. For example:

• He claims to be one of the top-6 endometriosis specialists in the U.S., when, in fact, he is just referring to the fact that he is listed on the Endo Resolved website, which is by no means an authority, and instead, merely lists doctors who have been recommended by readers or pretty much anyone who writes in.



• He claims to have won the awards of "Top 100 Health Professionals in the World in the areas of Endometriosis and Advanced Laparascopy" and also of "Distinguished Service to Humankind Award" by the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge University, England. According to Wilkepedia and other web sources, the International Biographical Centre allows people to nominate themselves for membership. Furthermore, those who pay between $500 and $1495 are offered specially crafted "awards". So essentially, Dr. Kanayama paid the IBC for the the "awards" that he "won" from them and they have nothing to do with merit.

Furthermore, I have met with a few endometriosis surgeons in New York City who have strongly cautioned me against him, telling me that he tells people that they need surgery immediately when there is no need. Also, when I met with him he told me that after his surgeries patients do not need surgery again for five years. There is no guarantee of this - ever - and I believe it was wrong of him to say this to me.

Having met quite a few doctors who treat endometriosis in New York City, I did like Iris Orbuch, who looks very young, but did train under C.Y. Liu and Harry Reich, whom I am told are leaders in the field of endometriosis in the U.S. She has been in private practice for 2.5 years and does surgery at Lenox Hill. I liked when she told me that she would never tell her patients to take Lupron (although almost every other endo doctor I have talked to recommends it). Although I must admit, I do feel that some of her answers regarding birth control etal. were geared toward telling me what I want to hear. I also met with Nabil Husami, whom I liked a lot. He was honest in telling me that I do not need surgery immediately and that surgery should always be the last resort. Not many surgeons say this. Furthermore, he was very current in terms of endometriosis statistics and what seems to work vs. what does not. He is a believer in Lupron, however.