Buzz
For centuries, a persistent issue has plagued many individuals: the inability to prevent their hair from thinning and falling. With the hair loss industry valued at nearly $3 billion, it's no surprise that people have created bizarre and inventive solutions to address this enduring challenge.
From the time of the ancient Egyptians to modern-day society, countless attempts have been made to combat the relentless effects of aging and preserve one's hair. While these unusual treatments may not have been successful, their ingenuity is undeniable.
10. Animal Fats
The struggle to maintain a full head of hair is far from a recent phenomenon. Ancient records show that even in Egypt, people sought remedies for baldness. In Egyptian society, appearance was closely tied to status, power, and influence, making it understandable that those who lost their hair would go to great lengths to try and restore it.
The Edwin Smith Papyrus, the oldest surviving medical text on trauma, includes an ancient remedy for hair loss. The papyrus suggests a balm made from a mixture of fats from lion, hippo, crocodile, cat, serpent, and ibex. While this might seem repulsive to modern readers, it highlights how highly the ancient Egyptians regarded their hair.
9. Xervac
In 1930s America, men struggling with baldness had a solution in the form of the Xervac, created by the Crosley Corporation. Inventor Dr. Andre Cueto dedicated years to studying hair loss and concluded that reduced blood circulation to the scalp caused the hair to fall out.
The Xervac device required users to wear a helmet resembling a bicycle helmet, connected by a hose to a large machine. The device alternated between suction and pressure cycles to stimulate blood flow to the scalp, supposedly encouraging new hair growth.
Since this device is no longer in use, it's safe to say it was probably nothing more than a load of hot air!
8. Pigeon Droppings
Hippocrates, often called the father of modern medicine, is most famous for the Hippocratic Oath, which urges physicians to 'do no harm.' While his legacy remains influential, his baldness remedy did not stand the test of time.
Struggling with hair loss himself, Hippocrates proposed a treatment made from pigeon droppings, opium, beetroot, horseradish, and spices to combat baldness. While it certainly would have been pungent, it likely offered little help to his 'follicly challenged' patients.
Hippocrates’ influence still lingers in the world of hair restoration. The permanent band of hair around the back and sides of a man’s head, often used for hair transplants, is called the 'Hippocratic wreath.'
7. A Laurel Wreath
One of the most influential figures in history, Julius Caesar (whose name ironically means “abundant hair”), was deeply self-conscious about his baldness. Roman biographer Suetonius noted that Caesar's baldness was “a disfigurement which troubled him greatly since he found that it was often the subject of mockery from his critics.”
In ancient Rome, a bald head was considered unattractive. The poet Ovid famously wrote: 'Ugly are hornless bulls, a field without grass is an eyesore, so is a tree without leaves, so is a head without hair.'
Caesar's lover, Cleopatra, concocted a remedy using ground mice and horse teeth. When this failed, Caesar resorted to wearing a laurel wreath to conceal his baldness. This wreath, awarded to him for his military triumphs, became his signature look. Later, the legendary performer Elton John followed suit, using elaborate and distinctive hats to hide his own baldness on stage.
6. Bull Semen
This cure is complete nonsense—bull semen, to be precise.
In salons across the US and UK, bull semen has been promoted as a possible remedy for hair loss. The claim is that bull semen is packed with protein (gross), which is supposed to nourish and stimulate hair growth. While we can only guess who came up with this idea and why, it’s probably best to 'moove' on to the next treatment before we start feeling sick!
5. Thermocap
The Thermocap, another bizarre device aimed at helping balding men, was marketed by New York's Allied Merke Institute in the 1920s. The institute, based on experiments conducted by French scientists, claimed that hair follicles didn’t die, but rather went dormant, waiting to be reactivated.
The bald and, perhaps, a bit naive user was instructed to wear the cap for 15 minutes daily, allowing the device's blue light to supposedly stimulate new hair growth.
4. Headstands
In yoga, the headstand is revered as the 'king' of poses due to its many benefits. One of these benefits is the purported prevention of hair loss. The idea behind this is similar to the theory of the Xervac. By flipping the body upside down, yogis believe this increases blood circulation to the scalp, which in turn helps prevent hair loss.
For those who cannot (or prefer not to) perform a headstand, many companies now offer inversion tables. These devices let you hang upside down for prolonged periods. If hair loss has turned your world upside down, this might be the solution to set things right.
3. Castration
The ever-innovative Hippocrates was the first to propose castration as a cure for baldness. His theory arose when he observed that eunuchs (castrated men) never seemed to suffer from hair loss.
Though he was unwilling to test this idea on himself, Hippocrates stuck to recommending pigeon droppings. However, a 1960 study supported his theory, showing that men who underwent castration did not develop male pattern baldness. A hair 'cut' that went too far, perhaps!
2. Cow Urine
In traditional Indian medicine, cow urine continues to be used today to treat a variety of ailments.
Known as gomutra, cow urine is believed to help treat hair loss. For the best results, it should be sourced from a virgin cow and consumed before sunrise. (However, some doctors advise against drinking urine due to potential health risks, such as rashes or illness.)
No access to a cow? Don't worry. In 2009, an Indian company introduced a soft drink containing 5 percent cow urine.
1. Hot Sauce
While it's too painful for most people to tolerate, this remedy does have some scientific backing. A 2003 study published in the Korean Journal of Dermatology explored how capsaicin (the active compound in chili peppers) accelerated hair regrowth in mice.
Unfortunately, there’s no evidence that this remedy works on humans. If you decide to try it, just make sure to avoid getting hot sauce in your eyes!
