Bear Balm

Alec wore a hat, not because he wanted to, but because he was entirely bald by 25. All he wanted was to get his hair back, but none of the creams or solutions he tried ever seemed to work. He was browsing online though when he came across a strange site of manly products by some brand 'Instinct', various snake oils featured on it. He thought the sight must have been fake, all products promising various changes, but supposedly if you signed up you got free credits to use. The amount would have covered the hair growth product he was looking at, some 'Bear Balm', so decided to get it. What could the harm be?

He applied it to his head once it arrived, the cream quickly dissolving into his shiny scalp. He shrugged, knowing it would need several applications to show any effect, so put on his hat and continued through his day.

As he worked he couldn't help but feel something change. His skin felt tingly, his senses dampened by a strange numbness. He felt especially weird where his clothes touched his skin, pricked by the fabric. He tried to ignore it until his shirt began to feel too small, wrapping around his body more and more tightly. He looked down, seeing the shirt almost completely skin tight, a large stomach pressed against the front. He moved to touch it, shocked, only to see his arms covered entirely by fuzz.

Panicked he immediately headed to the bathroom, his steps falling heavier and heavier while his gait widened. He burst into the room, making his way to the mirror where he saw the full changes. A dark mane had surrounded his face, thick fur spread over his cheeks. His body had swollen into his shirt, pushing it out, his midsection plump with fat. His arms were thick, looking even bigger with the heavy layer of curls covering it.

He struggled against the shirt, trying to release it from around his torso when he finally managed to pull it off. He looked like a round ball, stubby, a dense sea of hair washing over his entire body. His gut extended under his arms, filling in the empty space, making him look even wider. He pulled out his phone, opening up the camera to look at his back. It was just as heavily covered in hair, a thick trail down the center of his back. The worst part? He was still bald.