Q. 1. There are those that have "male pattern baldness," that choose to get rid of all the hair on their head in order to look cleaner/better. Since there is a prohibition in cutting the payos areas down to the skin, is there any way that these people are doing this is a permitted way? It seems to me that there is absolutely no hair on their head, so not even enough for to satisfy the most lenient opinions. I would like to judge favorably....is there any heter for this practice? Perhaps if they use a cream to remove hair instead of a cutting device?
Thank you
Q. 2. If there was a method of loosing hair by ingesting a drug that causes temporary hair loss, would it be permitted to use? (I understand that it is being developed, but hasn’t being approved yet because of side effects),
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that there is no real heter or procedure to permit complete hair removal from head. There are some biblical exceptions however, such as the metzorah on the day he is ritually cleansed ((Vayikra 14: 8-9) and the nazir (BaMidbar 6:13,18) when the days of his consecration are fulfilled.
On question 2 the Rov Shlit’a maintains that it probably would be permitted.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
