For years, both males and females have been looking for remedies and treatments to overcome hair loss and balding. Although significant advancements in this area have been made, the fact of the matter is that this search is certain to continue and progress well into the future.
1. 3000 BC: Humans were using remedies to overcome hair loss in the form of wigs and other types of hairpieces. Hair loss solutions were mostly seen amongst Greeks, Persians, Sumerians, Cretans, and Assyrians- the elite echelons of society. This was also the period when an extensive amount of information about hair loss treatments, both fact, and fiction, began to be formed and transmitted to the younger population by healers.
2. 1553 BC: Hair loss treatment writings were found to be present as far back as this period. Found in Egypt, a medical book entitled The Ebers Papyrus described hair loss medicinal treatment, which included a bizarre mix of animal fat and other natural ingredients. According to this book, the potion would only be effective if accompanied by a prayer to the God of the Sun.
3. 420 BC: At this period, the search for hair loss treatment was gaining momentum. Hippocrates was actually involved in this movement. Searching for a remedy for his own hair loss dilemma, he was a trailblazer in terms of hypothesizing how to overcome hair loss through surgery. After much deliberation and investigation, he came up with an unlikely concoction of horseradish, beetroot, spices, opium, and excrement of pigeons. Of course, this was not an effective treatment, and even now, the term Hippocratic Baldness remains due to him becoming bald.
Moreover, the first mention of a surgical procedure to cure hair loss and baldness was described in the aphorisms of Hippocrates. One of his theories was that the higher testosterone quantities within the body were associated with hairless. That is, he directly linked the lack of hair loss amongst eunuchs in the Persian army with their lack of testosterone. As such, Hippocrates recommended castration as a cure for hair loss.
4. 44 BC: During Julius Caesar’s reign of the Roman Empire, a full head of hair signified masculinity and power. However, Julius Caesar himself experienced baldness. Turning to medicine, he desperately wanted a cure to be found. As with Hippocrates, he never found a cure, despite some crazy solutions of bear grease, deer, mice, and horse teeth. The best had to made from this hopeless situation. He then turned to a comb-over and the use of a wreath to hide his balding head and to signify his power.
1. 1624: This was the year that wigs became enormously widespread in France due to King Louis XIII wearing a wig. History accounts tell us that King Louis may have employed up to 40 wig makers and under no circumstances was anyone to see him wigless. Moreover, wigs caught on rapidly, particularly in the elite classes, due to the need to hide hair loss and to provide defense against lice. Eventually, wigs came to signify power and affluence. It reached a point that wigs were so costly to purchase and maintain that they became a prime target for robbery.
2. 1700’s: This era saw America step into the hair loss history, with the elite in America also beginning the practice of wearing wigs. Seen as a social indicator of privilege, wig wearing in America quickly came to a halt when the elites were no longer idolized due to the ideologies of the French Revolution and the War of Independence.
3. 1800’s: The power of the market facilitated the flooding of hair loss remedies and treatments into the market like never before. Some of those that went down in history included Ayers Hair Vigour, East India Oil Hair Restoration, Mrs. Allen’s World Hair Restorer, and Imperial Hair Regenerator.
4. 1900’s: One of the most noteworthy historic milestones in terms of hair loss ideas and treatment was seen in this era. It was at this time that people started believing that wearing a hat could cause hair loss. This correlation came about because certain distinguished men who worked in hats all day noticed that they were going bald. Therefore the solution was to stop wearing hats and allow the scalp to have fresh air. Other remedies employed as hair loss solutions were massaging the scalp, and through intense brushing and pulling. Evidently, this was an incorrect correlation as evidenced by the myriad of hat wearers who still maintained a full head of hair.
5. 1925: Picking up on the preceding thought that scalp circulation resolved hair loss, a specific instrument was invented to do just this. It was called the Thermocap Treatment Device. Invented by the Allied Merke Institute, this device claimed to clean pores on the scalp that were blocked, feed hair bulbs, and enhance circulation through a combination of heat, magnets, static electricity, and vibration. Treatment involved the use of the device for 25 minutes daily, then placing a tonic, dandruff lotion, and shampoo on the area. It was later proven that the device was not a cure for baldness.
6. 1939: A major milestone in hair loss solutions has occurred- that of, hair transplanting. A Japanese dermatologist, Dr. Shoji Okuda, discussed the practice of transplanting hair grafts from other parts of the body to replace areas that had been affected by hair loss. It was this same Japanese doctor who became the first person to successfully conduct this treatment. Hair follicles were taken from behind the head and transplanted to overcome balding. Although the Second World War subdued his achievement, it was Dr. Okuda’s success that was the precursor to Dr. Orentreich’s breakthrough in hair plugs.
7. 1959: Publishing Dr. Orentreich’s theory of hair transplantation in the New York Academy’s science journal, the world started to take notice of this amazing hair loss and balding solution. Calling it the Theory of Donor Dominance, it was founded on Dr. Okuda’s work done decades ago. In fact, by 1961, Dr. Orentreich had undertaken 200 hair transplants, and six years later, had treated around 10,000 males around the globe. Due to this astounding and proven success, his program became the basis on which the next two decades of the hair restoration discipline was based.
8. 1968: Another milestone changed how society dealt with hair loss. A man named SySperling had been suffering from hair loss from a young age. Recently divorced and depressed over his hair loss, he bought a hairpiece to restart his social life. Although happy with his hairpiece, he wanted a more natural appearance. This is when he sought out the services of a hair-restorer, who proceeded to weave in real hair near his bald patch. After realizing that there was a need for this service, Sperling established the Hair Club for Men, which specialized in nonsurgical hair replacement. The Hair Club expanded to become the leading hair restoration company worldwide. Sperling has always emphasized that he wasn’t just the president of the company; he was also a satisfied client.
9. 1988: The hair loss treatment solution known as follicular unit micrografting had finally succeeded during this year. A hair restoration surgeon and dermatologist by the name of Dr. Bob Limmer had finally developed a magnifying glass powerful enough to undertake this procedure, which had been on the landscape for quite a while. The solution was stereomicroscopes. By using these, normal clusters of hair follicles could be conserved when they were being taken. Furthermore, the success rate was even better because this specific technique ensured the hair follicles that were being taken were kept cool and moist. Follicular unit micrografting continued to evolve, and in 1995, cool fluorescent transillumination and a disposable clear vinyl-cutting surface with stereomicroscopes assisted graft preparation and further increased success rates.
10. 1991: The Hair Club, which was founded in the 60’s and was still going strong, took non-surgical hair replacement a step forward. This was achieved by the use of hairpieces that could be glued onto the scalp. The introduced hairpiece was joined to the patient’s hair at the root. These quickly replaced the weaved-in hairpieces as they gave a more natural appearance.
11. 1998: This year also saw a major milestone in hair loss restoration in the form of laser treatment, which claimed that once used, the patient would not suffer from any more hair loss and in some patients, hair regrowth could occur. Invented by a Canadian company, it suggested that their laser light solution be in the form of weekly laser sessions, combined with a number of other products (e.g. use of a special shower head filter, certain type of shampoo and conditioner, and vitamins and nutrients).
Today’s modern landscape remains similar in some respects. That is, men and women are continuing to suffer from hair loss and balding. It is a fact that approximately 40% of the male population begin to experience hair loss once they reach their early 20’s. Today, Advanced Hair Studio has helped more than half a million people from all corners of the world with their hair loss, providing customized hair regrowth and restoration solutions. By applying non-surgical procedures, Advanced Hair Studio can help patients regain their lives and their confidence by taking control over their looks and feeling good once more.