By Luis Prada

Minoxidil is a common hair loss medication that is topically applied. Babies are getting exposed to this hair growth cream all across Europe, which is resulting in them suffering from a condition called hypertrichosis. Hypertrichosis is an excessive growth of hair all over the body. It also has the unfortunate distinction of having a rude nickname — Werewolf Syndrome.

The Pharmacovigilance Center of Navarre in Spain found that at least 11 babies across Europe had developed hypertrichosis after one of their caregivers used minoxidil. The person applies cream to himself, then they pick up the baby, and then the baby starts growing hair all over their body. They found that the condition reversed once the babies were no longer exposed to the medication.

The investigation began in April 2023 when a baby boy developed hair growth on his legs, thighs, and back over two months after his father cared for him at home. The father had been using a 5 percent minoxidil solution on his head. Researchers looking into this medical mystery determined the cream was the cause. When the baby was no longer exposed to the cream, the fuzziness retreated. However, there’s a lot more at risk here than a simple hairy baby. Very young babies could be at risk of heart and kidney damage with prolonged exposure to the medication.

After handling this one case, the Pharmacovigilance Center started looking into similar cases and found 10 others across Europe. In all cases, the symptoms went away when the parent stopped taking the medication.

Minoxidil is a medication that has been approved by the FDA and can be sold in the U.S. without a prescription to adults experiencing hair loss, so there’s a chance this same thing could be happening here and we don’t know it yet. So just know if you are a parent of a young baby and you are using minoxidil to treat your hair loss, maybe that’s why your baby looks like a shirtless dockworker nearing retirement.