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How Did Ancient Egypt Treat Hair Loss?

June 15, 2021

How does hair loss treatment Egypt arrange? When they face the hair loss problem in ancient Egypt, are they panic? Let’s talk about hair loss treatments in this country.

Hair loss has plagued mankind for at least thousands of years. From Caesar in ancient Rome, Napoleon in France, and Putin in Russia today, hair loss is cared for by everyone.

At present, the alopecia group is growing and showing a trend of younger age. As early as 5000 years ago in ancient Egypt, people had racked their brains to solve the problem of hair loss. They mainly take drugs to prevent hair loss or wear wigs to cover up hair loss.

First, take some liquid drugs.

Ancient Egypt possessed advanced medical knowledge and technology in the world at that time. In the ancient kingdom, the medical profession has been highly organized, and doctors have various grades and specialties.

Ancient Egypt was also rich in medical knowledge. Clement of Alexandria (about 200 AD), a Christian writer in ancient Rome, claimed that there were 42 Hermes books in the early dynasty of ancient Egypt, also called Todt’s books, among which 6 books recorded anatomy, general diseases, surgery, medicine, eye diseases, and gynecological diseases.

Although this statement has not been confirmed, many ancient Egyptian medical types of research have been preserved to now. Among them, Ebers Papyrus, which was written no later than 1500 BC, recorded many prescriptions for hair growth and anti-detachment.

In a prescription entitled “Hair tonic for the mother of the late King Teta of Upper and Lower Egypt”, the earliest hair tonic prescription in human history may be recorded.

Second, wear a wig

Hair loss treatment Egypt, besides the prescription for preventing hair loss, wearing wigs is also an important means to effectively solve (cover-up) hair loss. The ancient Egyptians used wigs for a long time. Egyptians tied fake braids to their real hair, which can be traced back to the pre-dynasty period.

The earliest example was found in the tomb of Hierakonpolis in 3500 BC. Traces of processed hair were also found in the tomb of Abydos in the early dynasty. In the tomb of Deir el-Bahari in the 11th Dynasty, a soldier in Mentuhotep II was found using a wig to present his beauty.

The earliest complete wig was also found in this period. This wig belongs to Amunet, the priestess of Hator. Wigs in storage boxes were found in Lisht’s tomb in the 12th Dynasty. In the new kingdom, wearing wigs has become a fashion. Many exquisite wigs unearthed came into being during this period.

Most Egyptians wearing wigs are not because they are alopecia. They even shave their heads to wear wigs. First of all, wigs are easy to decorate and take care of, which is the choice of beauty lovers. Secondly, Egypt is seriously exposed to sunlight. Shaving your hair and wearing a wig can reduce the harmful effects of sunlight.

Finally, the climate in Egypt is hot and dry. Parasites, fleas, and lice are easy to breed. Hair provides them with natural habitat. Shaving their heads can solve this problem.

However, it is also possible to cover up the hair loss by wearing wigs. From the mummy of Queen Tetisheri (late 17th Dynasty and early 18th Dynasty), we can find that she weaved a lot of brown hair into her sparse white hair, trying to cover up the hair loss in old age.

Similar techniques were also used by the hairdressers of Queen Ahmose-Nofretari (18th Dynasty) and Hontimihou.

There may be a logical contradiction here: since shaving your head and wearing a wig can completely solve the problem of hair loss, why do they need a prescription to prevent hair loss?

At present, there is no more material to prove it, only speculation is made here. First of all, the wig mainly appeared in the middle kingdom, prevailed in the new kingdom, and declined in the later period of Egypt.

Therefore, not all Egyptians of any age could touch and wear the wig. Many mummies with hair can still be seen in the New Kingdom when wigs were most popular.

Secondly, hair extension may be as important as wearing a wig, or even more important. In addition to the early examples of Egypt mentioned above, mummies can still be seen in the Amarna period of the new kingdom.

Ancient Egyptians mainly clip wigs to real hair, so they still had to have their hair. People with different identities at different times and regions will have different choices. Wearing wigs and applying drugs is not a life-and-death relationship.

That is part history of hair loss treatment Egypt, for your understanding and references. 

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