Mothers who use minoxidil, a widely used hair loss treatment, may increase the risk of infantile hypertrichosis in babies, a condition marked by excessive hair growth across the body, including areas where hair does not usually grow, according to a large international analysis.

Minoxidil Use by Mothers Linked To Potential Health Risks In Infants

Researchers from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, reviewed 2,664 worldwide reports of suspected infantile hypertrichosis linked to minoxidil. Of these, 45 cases involved children aged between birth and 23 months.

The analysis showed that 22.2 per cent of these infant cases were associated with maternal exposure to minoxidil. Accidental exposure accounted for 44.4 per cent, while the cause remained unclear in 33.3 per cent of cases. The findings were published in the Archives of Dermatological Research.

What Is Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a drug most commonly used to treat pattern hair loss, known as androgenetic alopecia, in both men and women. In higher oral doses, it is also prescribed for severe high blood pressure. The medicine works as a vasodilator, meaning it helps widen blood vessels to improve blood flow.

What Is Infantile Hypertrichosis?

Infantile hypertrichosis (also called childhood hypertrichosis or werewolf syndrome) is a rare condition marked by excessive hair growth on the face, back, arms, and other areas, appearing from infancy, often with a genetic cause but sometimes triggered by medications (like minoxidil) or underlying conditions, leading to significant cosmetic and psychological distress despite being a generally harmless cosmetic issue

Minoxidil: Eye-Related Side Effects Also Reported

The study also highlighted concerns beyond infant cases. Researchers identified 1,669 global reports of eye-related adverse effects linked to minoxidil use in the general population, including 25 cases reported from India.

Commonly reported eye symptoms included swelling of the eyelids, blurred vision, and central serous chorioretinopathy, a condition in which fluid accumulates beneath the retina and can affect eyesight.

Background on Minoxidil

Minoxidil was originally developed to treat high blood pressure. It was later reformulated as a topical treatment for hair loss in both men and women after its hair growth–stimulating side effects were observed. The drug is typically applied directly to the scalp or affected skin areas, the researchers noted.

Minoxidil: Concerns Over Regulation and Use

Despite its proven effectiveness, the researchers raised concerns about the drug’s widespread over-the-counter availability and limited regulatory oversight. These factors, they said, increase the risk of misuse and unintended exposure.

Although minoxidil is generally advised against for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the analysis still identified cases of infantile hypertrichosis linked to maternal exposure during these periods.

The researchers noted that minoxidil has also been associated with eye-related side effects in the broader population, prompting renewed questions about its overall safety profile.

“This study aims to examine global reports of infantile hypertrichosis associated with maternal minoxidil exposure and to assess serious and non-serious eye disorder cases reported in India, with the aim of improving awareness about the risks of early-life or accidental exposure,” the authors wrote.

The study was based on data collected up to March 2025 from VigiBase, the World Health Organization’s global database of suspected adverse drug reactions.

Catching a cold during winter is fairly common because viruses spread more easily in packed indoor settings, and cold weather can weaken the immune defence inside the nose, making it harder to fight infections. Having a stuffy nose or a mild cough is one thing, but many people often confuse their illness with a cold when it may actually be flu. Flu symptoms are usually more intense and can include fever, headaches and body aches, along with a dry cough and sore throat. A cold, on the other hand, tends to peak within two to three days, with recovery usually taking about a week.

Cold vs Flu: Why Knowing the Difference Matters

With a strong flu strain causing disruption across the UK, knowing how to tell the difference between a cold and flu has become especially important. Berkshire NHS, which has around 17,100 followers on TikTok, has outlined three key differences between the two illnesses.

In a caption, the community NHS trust said: “Cold and flu symptoms can look similar, but flu is usually more severe. The flu vaccine helps protect against flu. Visit the NHS website to learn more.”

NHS Shares 3 Symptoms to Tell Cold and Flu Apart

The video features an NHS staff member pointing out three signs as she walks toward the correct option. The first is that flu comes on suddenly, often within a few hours, while a cold mainly affects the nose and throat. The final sign is that flu can leave you feeling drained and too unwell to go about your normal routine.

Can Flu Get Better on Its Own?

Flu often clears up on its own, but it can make some people very unwell. That is why it is important to get vaccinated if you are advised to do so and to follow safe distancing to reduce the spread of infection.

Flu Symptoms 2025

As per NHS, below are the flu symptoms that people need to take care of:

• A sudden high temperature
• An aching body
• Feeling tired or exhausted
• A dry cough
• A sore throat
• A headache
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhoea or tummy pain
• Feeling sick and being sick

What Are The Symptoms Of A Cold?

• A blocked or runny nose
• Sneezing
• A sore throat
• A hoarse voice
• A cough
• Feeling tired and unwell
• A high temperature
• Aching muscles
• A loss of taste and smell
• A feeling of pressure in your ears and face

How Long Does a Cold Last?

In most cases, a cold can be managed at home without seeing a GP. You should start to feel better within one to two weeks, with symptoms developing over two to three days.

Cold Symptoms in Children: What Parents Should Know

Cold symptoms can last longer in young children. They may become more irritable, struggle with eating and sleeping, breathe through their mouth, and sometimes vomit after coughing. As per NHS, try to get enough rest over the Christmas holidays if possible, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nourishing food to help lower the risk of illness.

This year had been a year of flu, fiver, bacterial illness and more. One of the over the counter medicine that many people often buy, or is prescribed, especially for bacterial infections is Amoxicillin.

What Is Amoxicillin?

It is a widely prescribed antibiotic that is used to treat bacterial infections in children and adults. It is part of the penicillin class of medications and it inhibits the growth of bacteria and allows the immune system to efficiently eliminate the infection. It is commonly used to treat bacterial infections affecting the respiratory tract, urinary tract, and skin.

However, about 5 to 10 per cent of children prescribed this may develop skin rashes as a common side effect. A rash can develop in two forms: allergic and non-allergic. A rash from the drug Amoxicillin could last up to a week.

What Kind Of Rashes Are Caused By Amoxicillin?

A Maculopapular rash is a flat rash that occurs like red patches, raised bumps and spreads over the body.

Hives are itchy, raised red or skin-colored welts that can change shape and location.

Erythema Multiforme are more severe, featuring target-like lesions or bull's-eye shapes with central red spot, pale ring, and red outer ring.

Anaphylactic Reaction is a rare but severe allergic reaction that includes symptoms like difficulty in breathing, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, hives and rapid drop in blood pressure.

Non-Allergic Amoxicillin Rash are flat, red spots that may be slightly raised, but not harmful. These usually appear o the 5th to 7th day after the start of amoxicillin and can appear on the chest, abdomen, back, face, arms, and legs. It may get worse before it starts to get better.

What Signs Should You Look Out For?

Warning signs include rashes within two hours of the first amoxicillin dose, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or very itchy hives.

The allergic reaction is caused by one's immune system reacting to that medication as if it were a foreign invader in the body.

More girls than boys develop these rashes, and in children this is even more common. In fact, the rash by amoxicillin was first noted in 1960s, in children who were being treated with ampicillin, recorded the Journal of Pediatrics.

What Can You Do If You Get Amoxicillin Rashes?

Among treatment, the first step should be to see your physician and immediately stop taking the medication. Drinking water and enough fluids can also help. Your doctor too would prescribe you medications and lotions to soothe your itching.

Hives can also be treated with the over the counter drug Benadryl. However, you must go see your doctor or GP, and not self medicate.

A doctor may treat the rash in various ways, including stopping the medication as the first line of defense. Then the doctor may give oral antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine) for the itch. Some doctors may use topical steroids to help with the itch and redness.

Before visiting your doctor, take photos of your rash, send it to your GP, as if it is contagious. Even after you start the treatment, stay in touch with your healthcare provider for any development.

The World Health Organization (WHO), notes that 36% of world's rabies deaths come from India, and a 2024 Lancet study notes that the country accounts for over one-third of global rabies deaths. When we spoke to Dr Aniket Mule, Consultant Internal Medicine at KIMS Hospital, Thane, he said that it is not just dog bites that lead to rabies, but it could happen from any rabies-susceptible animal. The first line of defense after you clear your wound immediately is to get the rabies vaccine. "Rabies vaccination is required for bites or scratches from any rabies-susceptible animal, including cats, monkeys, bats, foxes, and other wild mammals," he pointed out. As the country's apex court ruled and issued directives on stray dogs, focusing on public safety by ordering their removal, global health organizations, including WHO point out that this is not the right way to deal with rabies issue. Comprehensive methods including evidence=based strategies that center on mass dog vaccination is the key to the problem.

However, before this could be implemented, here's what you should know about dog bites and rabies.

What To Do After A Dog Bites Or Scratches You?

Dr Mule points out that even when there are minor scratches, without bleeding, you must get a rabies shot. "Rabies can be contracted through broken skin. Such exposures still require medical evaluation and, in most cases, rabies vaccination."

Read: In An 'Exceptionally Rare' Case, Man Dies Of Rabies After Kidney Transplant

What Should One Do Immediately After Being Bitten Or Scratched?

• Wash the wound immediately for at least 15 minutes with soap and running water
• Apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine
• Do not apply home remedies like turmeric, chili or oil
• Seek medical care promptly for rabies vaccination and possible immunoglobin

Dr Mule points out that the rabies vaccine should be started as soon as possible. "Ideally within 24 hours of a bite or scratch. However, even if there is a delay of days or weeks, vaccination should still be started immediately as rabies has a variable incubation period," he says.

After the bite, the immediate medical attention involves rabies post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP, and with a tetanus booster. Some rabies vaccines also use saline water as the diluent to reconstitute the freeze-dried powder before injection.

Read: Australia Issues Advisory Warning Travelers Of Counterfeit Rabies Vaccines Found In India

The temperature of the vaccine matters. "Rabies vaccines are temperature-sensitive and must be stored between 2°C and 8°C. Exposure to heat or freezing can reduce vaccine potency. Poor cold-chain maintenance is a known reason for vaccine failure in rare cases," points out the doctor.

Cases Of Rabies Coming Back After Vaccination Course Has Been Done

Dr Mule points out that in order to avoid such things happening, one must ensure immediate wound washing, timely vaccination, and correct use of Rabies Immunoglobulin or RIG. Rabies can come back if these following things occur:

• Delay in starting vaccination
• Failure to administer Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) in severe (Category III) exposures
• Improper wound cleaning
• Incorrect injection site (gluteal region)
• Poor vaccine storage (cold-chain failure)

Dr Mule points out that the vaccine should be given intramuscularly in the deltoid or upper arms for adults, as gluteal or buttock injections could lead to inadequate absorption and reduce effectiveness.

How Many Doses Should One Get?

• For someone not previously vaccinated, the current standard is 4 doses on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 (intramuscular schedule).
• In some government programs or intradermal schedules, 3–4 doses may be advised.
• Previously vaccinated individuals require only 2 booster doses (days 0 and 3).

The exact schedule depends on vaccination history and the protocol followed.