Throughout history, hair has been an important symbol. The significance of hair as an indicator of gender, and social, religious and professional status has been as great as that of clothing, jewelry, tattoos, weapons, and even crowns. The importance of hair goes back at least as far as the Neolithic Age. Several years ago, a man's body was found frozen in a glacier near the Austrian-Italian border. Because he looked like modern man, it was first thought that he had died only a few years before. Upon examination of his clothing and weapons, archaeologists concluded that he had been frozen for more than 5,000 years. It is likely that this preserved Neolithic man wore his hair in the fashionable cut and style of that age. His hair was neatly cut to a length of 3.5 inches, and his beard was trimmed.

In Ancient Egypt, sons of the Pharaoh wore their hair tied in a distinctive bun on the right side of the head just behind the ear. The Pharaoh himself was never seen without a wig. Even today, male and female English judges wear obviously artificial horsehair wigs when they preside in court.

The oldest known medical text is an Egyptian papyrus scroll. Its remedies include an ointment for restoring lost hair, consisting of equal parts crocodile fat and hippopotamus dung. The physician who wrote the text recommended that one rub this concoction into the bald scalp.

The ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, recognized a connection between the sexual organs and baldness. He may have been the first to record the observation that eunuchs (men castrated before puberty) did not become bald. Hippocrates' own baldness stimulated his interest in the subject of hair loss. His prescription for preventing hair loss was the application of a mixture of cumin, pigeon droppings, horseradish, and nettles to the scalp. In fact, the area of permanent hair that encircles the back and sides of the head is sometimes referred to as the Hippocratic wreath.

Dating back to Biblical times, the tale of Samson is one of the familiar examples of man's concern over hair loss. Samson had the strength to destroy the Philistines as long as his hair remained long and uncut. As soon as Delilah cut his hair, he lost all of his strength.

Early Christian monks and priests shaved the hair on the crown of the head to create a tonsure. This highly visible mark proclaimed their vow of chastity to the world. It symbolized their lack of concern with worldly vanities and riches; it also expressed their personal dedication to God. During the Middle Ages, Christian society saw an emphasis of concern with the spiritual side of life and a studied neglect of physical functions. The tonsure became so extreme that, upon taking orders, a monk shaved his head almost completely bare, so that only a narrow fringe of hair remained encircling his head.

During the time of King Louis XIV of France, elaborate wigs became fashionable for the aristocracy. Some of these wigs incorporated paraphernalia such as model ships and cages with live birds. The more complex constructions often weighed 15-20 pounds. Known for luxuriant hair in his youth, King Louis began this practice and may have adopted the fashion to disguise his balding as he grew older. Elaborate wigs continued to be a class status and fashion symbol until the middle of the eighteenth century.

Hair has also been an important symbol of rank and religion in Asia. Buddhist monks shaved their heads completely. Japanese Samurai warriors shaved the front and top of the head and drew the long back and side hair into a complex topknot. Even modern day Sumo wrestlers wear their hair in a distinctive knot at the back although they do not shave the front and top. The ubiquitous queue or pigtail of Chinese men, a long single braid worn down the back, was a symbol of their bondage to a lord, landowner, or to the Emperor. Most urban Chinese men cut off their queues after the revolution in 1920, but the custom persisted in many rural areas. During the revolution, any man found wearing a queue was publicly humiliated; his hair was cut off and burned.

Today, hair continues to be an important part of self-expression, and can function as a symbol of attitude, culture, and religion. Hair, or the lack of it, is of great significance to rock singers, punks, Rastafarians, Hare Krishnas, Orthodox Jews, Sikhs, Sufis, Buddhists and Hindus. Hair is important to our self-image and self-identity, and for both men and women, it is a universal symbol of youth.

Hair Loss Research Home  | Top of Page  | Expectations  | Contact Us