Drugs to make you go bald

MarkEsq · Jan 20, 2009

My bad guy is trying to disguise his once-hirsuite appearance. What drugs could he take, over-the-counter or otherwise, that might cause hair loss? I'm talking back hair, head hair, even eyebrows.

Does such a drug exist?

Barb D · Jan 20, 2009

MarkEsq said:
My bad guy is trying to disguise his once-hirsuite appearance. What drugs could he take, over-the-counter or otherwise, that might cause hair loss? I'm talking back hair, head hair, even eyebrows.

Does such a drug exist?

Could he just shave?

alleycat · Jan 20, 2009

Have him go to a "waxer" who caters to the punk crowd. It might make for a more interesting scene anyway.

cbenoi1 · Jan 20, 2009

Chemotherapy?

-cb

Ziljon · Jan 20, 2009

I found this here:

Here is a list of drugs that are known to cause hair loss in some patients:
Cholesterol-lowering drugs:

clofibrate (Atromis-S) and gemfibrozil (Lopid)

Parkinson Medications:

levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa)

Ulcer drugs:

cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac) and famotidine (Pepcid)

Anticoagulents:

Coumarin and Heparin

Agents for gout:

Allopurinol (Loporin, Zyloprim)

Antiarthritics:

penicillamine, auranofin (Ridaura), indomethacin (i\Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn), sulindac (Clinoril), and methotrexate (Folex)

Drugs derived from vitamin-A:

isotretinoin (Accutane) and etretinate (Tegison)

Anticonvulsants for epilepsy:

trimethadione (Tridione)

Antidepressants:

tricyclics, amphetamines

Beta blocker drugs for high blood pressure:

atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal) and timolol (Blocadren)

Antithyroid agents:

carbimazole, Iodine, thiocyanate, thiouracil

Others:

Blood thinners, male hormones (anabolic steroids)

Next time your doctor prescribes any drug for you, ask if it will cause hair loss. You doctor may not realize this side effect. You can ask him or her to look it up in the Physicians' Desk Reference, which lists the side effects of all prescription medications. If the drug is linked to reversible alopecia, ask if another can be substituted. And just to make sure your physician has given you accurate information, when you get the prescription filled, ask your pharmacist as well.

HoraceJames · Jan 20, 2009

Ask Britney Spears.

scarletpeaches · Jan 20, 2009

Ask seun.

Fenika · Jan 20, 2009

Keep in mind some drugs don't hit head hair as fast or as hard. Check your facts to make sure

Smiling Ted · Jan 20, 2009

Ziljon said:
I found this here:

But these drugs have hair loss as a side effect; there's no guarantee that the loss would be complete or consistent. And any drug that caused that kind of reaction in a consistent way would have side effects of its own...probably nasty ones.

The guy's best bet would be to go to a cosmetologist, and see what the de-hairing treatments over there could do for him....

Palmfrond · Jan 20, 2009

Smiling Ted is right - none of these drugs cause hair loss reliably. Some chemotherapy are reliable, but not over the counter because they can easily kill you. Waxing, shaving, or dipilatories are the only choice.

GirlWithPoisonPen · Jan 20, 2009

I vote for waxing as well.

Deb Kinnard · Jan 20, 2009

Waxing, definitely. Not even chemotherapy (technically: antineoplastics) causes hair loss in every patient.

As for the others, they would have too many adverse effects on someone who didn't need them, that they wouldn't be good choices if all you wanted to do was lose your hair.

2Wheels · Jan 20, 2009

Female hormones. I believe that's what men take prior to having a sex change op.

GirlWithPoisonPen · Jan 20, 2009

If he's really hairy and wants to permanently change his appearance, wouldn't he go all the way and get electrolysis?

sunandshadow · Jan 20, 2009

Easier to do-it-yourself than waxing is a depilatory cream like Nair. Definitely should not use it on eyebrows though, might make yourself go blind.

Fullback · Jan 20, 2009

Your character could spend a week with my ex. Within days, his hair would turn gray and he'd be pulling it out in clumps in frustration and anger. I think many readers would nod in understanding as they read the passage.

(Warning! The post above may contain sarcasm. If you experience shortness of breath or indignation at the sight of humor, please contact your local radio or television pyshologist or counselor.)

TerzaRima · Jan 20, 2009

Chronic anabolic steroid use can thin the hair. People getting chemo generally lose their hair in clumps, but not everyone will have hair loss.

But I agree, if you want him totally and predictably bald, have him shave or wax.

Phoebe H · Jan 21, 2009

2Wheels said:
Female hormones. I believe that's what men take prior to having a sex change op.

That will eventually reduce body hair (after a year or two) but won't get rid of head hair. In fact, they can partially reverse male pattern balding, and cause some regrowth. (If the follicles were shut down, but not dead.)

GirlWithPoisonPen said:
If he's really hairy and wants to permanently change his appearance, wouldn't he go all the way and get electrolysis?

Well...laser would be the way to go there. You have approximately 6 cycles of hair growth that start about 6 weeks apart. A skilled laser tech would only need to hit each cycle once, or maybe twice. A full body treatment would only take about a half hour to an hour. Depending on exactly which laser you had, and your pain tolerance.

But traditional electrolysis -- you're talking about 150 - 250 hours of work just to clear male facial hair. (It's because you have to treat each hair individually, and most hairs will need to be treated 3-4 times, unless you want to risk scarring.) Now, you could do something like Electrolysis 3000 where they've got multiple people working on you for an entire weekend, and then you can get away with a timeframe similar to laser. But otherwise you're talking about years.

All of this is pretty spendy, too. Figure $1000 per laser session, or about $50/hour for electrolysis.

But yes, if you are looking for a way to be hairfree permanently, laser or electrolysis are your only options. But they're not quick.

pdr · Jan 21, 2009

I believe...

that Thalium, which is deadly poisonous, in very small doses causes complete hair loss.

waylander · Jan 21, 2009

causes complete death too

Deb Kinnard · Jan 21, 2009

Fullback said:
Your character could spend a week with my ex. Within days, his hair would turn gray and he'd be pulling it out in clumps in frustration and anger.

Or, cheaper, faster and easier: one day with my boss.

Notice: no sarcastics were harmed in the writing of this post.

frimble3 · Jan 21, 2009

MarkEsq said:
My bad guy is trying to disguise his once-hirsuite appearance. What drugs could he take, over-the-counter or otherwise, that might cause hair loss? I'm talking back hair, head hair, even eyebrows.

Does such a drug exist?

Just a question, while total hair loss would change his appearance, would it work as a disguise? Because, no body hair, esp. no eyebrows, people are going to stare. And if enough people stare, someone might recognize him by something other than hair.

MarkEsq · Jan 22, 2009

frimble3 said:
Just a question, while total hair loss would change his appearance, would it work as a disguise? Because, no body hair, esp. no eyebrows, people are going to stare. And if enough people stare, someone might recognize him by something other than hair.

Good question. He has also had plastic surgery, altering his face, and lost a lot of weight. If he's recognized, he will be tortured and killed, so he's going all out.

Thanks for all the input everyone.

pdr · Jan 22, 2009

Thalium...

was used in dilute doses to cure ringworm and its side effect was hair loss.

NVS · Jan 24, 2009

MarkEsq said:
He has also had plastic surgery, altering his face,

Hey Mark, long time!

Living in Miami has its perks...we're like the plastic surgery capital of the US (and, consequently, inhabited and visited by the most beautiful people...whether or not I fit in here is subjective). A plastic surgeon would likely have access to or referrals for a place to remove tattoos/unwanted hair via laser (the technologies are the same, as the laser targets based on light-dark contrast and destroys the darker pigment of tattoo ink or hair folicle on comparitively light skin). It can be done in about 6-10 sessions over the client's whole body (and can likely be used to thin out, rather than fully remove, your character's hair, keeping him from having that dipped-in-Nair look of an off-duty drag queen) for about $3500. As long as his skin is a few degrees lighter than his hair (not recommended for pale blondes or people with very dark skin), laser hair removal is likely the best bet.

Drugs to make you go bald

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

Barb D

alleycat

Still around

cbenoi1

Ziljon

Tortilla di Patate

HoraceJames

scarletpeaches

Fenika

Smiling Ted

Ah-HA!

Palmfrond

cereal killer

GirlWithPoisonPen

Mata Hari

Deb Kinnard

2Wheels

Anachronista

GirlWithPoisonPen

Mata Hari

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

Fullback

TerzaRima

Absinthe O'Malice

Phoebe H

pdr

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Deb Kinnard

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

pdr

NVS