Hypertrichosis, or “Werewolf Syndrome”, is a rare disorder that causes unusual hair growth. It’s either something a person is born with or something that could appear later in life.
But when 17 babies in Spain began exhibiting symptoms all around the same time, it was clear that something different was happening there.
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When you see images of people with hypertrichosis, it’s pretty clear where the nickname comes from.
While it can sometimes only cause patches of hair growth, it’s the people with full-body coverage who get the most press.
When reports began coming in about babies suddenly growing excess hair all over their bodies, an investigation was launched.
One mom described it:
“My son’s forehead, cheeks, arms, legs and hands were covered with hair… it was very scary.”
Some of the hair was fine and white, while on other children it was thick and black.
The investigation revealed that all of the 17 children had been taking a prescription syrup intended to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease.
But instead of omeprazole, the medicine for treating that disease, the syrup contained minoxidil, which is a medicine used to treat alopecia.
Basically, it stimulates hair growth.
The investigation first looked to the pharmacies where the syrup was formulated.
Because babies can’t be given medications in pill form, the pharmacies receive the base ingredients in bulk to mix into a syrup.
All of the pharmacies involved had received their tainted omeprazole from the same supplier, who had in turn received it from a supplier in India.
When the first cases were reported, the product was pulled from the market.
It’s believed that an internal error caused the batch to be mislabeled before being sent out, and the Spanish distributor’s warehouse is still closed down for more investigation.
Thankfully, now that the babies aren’t being given the incorrect medicine, the extra hair should clear up quickly.
h/t: The Sun
