Hair loss drug: Mothers who use minoxidil, a widely available hair loss treatment, may put infants at risk of abnormal hair growth across the body, according to a global analysis.
Researchers from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi examined 2,664 cases worldwide of suspected minoxidil-related infantile hypertrichosis. The condition causes excessive hair growth in areas that typically remain hairless.
The analysis included 45 cases involving children up to 23 months old. Maternal exposure to minoxidil accounted for 22 per cent of these cases, while accidental exposure represented 44.4 per cent. The cause remained unknown in 33.3 per cent of cases. The findings appeared in the Archives of Dermatological Research journal.
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The researchers also identified 1,669 cases globally involving eye disorders potentially linked to minoxidil, including 25 from India. Patients commonly reported swollen eyelids, blurred vision and central serous chorioretinopathy, a condition where fluid accumulates beneath the retina and affects vision.
Minoxidil was initially created to treat high blood pressure. Developers later reformulated it as a topical treatment for hair loss in men and women after observing its hair growth side effects.
The drug’s easy availability without a prescription and limited regulatory oversight create safety concerns despite its proven effectiveness, researchers noted.
Medical guidance advises pregnant and breastfeeding women against using minoxidil, yet the study documented cases of infant hair growth abnormalities linked to maternal use.
Reports of eye-related side effects in the general population have raised additional questions about the drug’s safety profile, the research team said.
“This study aims to investigate global reports of infantile hypertrichosis related to maternal minoxidil exposure and assess serious and non-serious eye disorder cases reported in India, to raise awareness about the risks of early-life or accidental exposure,” the authors wrote.
The researchers analysed data collected through March 2025 from VigiBase, a global database of reported adverse drug reactions.