men's health

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2 minute read

The unusual history of hair loss treatments

Written by Kirsty Mason

Content and Studio Lead | BA Soc

Medical review by Hassan Thwaini

Clinical Pharmacist and Copywriter | MPharm

Medically reviewed 2nd September 2026

If history has taught us anything, it's that the blood of a bull does not grow your hair back. Unfortunately for the Victorians, they learnt that the hard way. Bull's blood is just one of many bizarre remedies people have reached for over the centuries to treat hair loss.

Let's rewind and look at how hair loss remedies have changed through history.

300BC: fat from animals and plants

The ancient Egyptians were early adopters. Analysis of mummies has shown they styled their hair with a fat-based gel made from animal and plant fats.¹ They also used castor oil to moisturise the scalp and encourage growth, and mixed juniper berries with other plants to dye their hair.²

1300: lizard tallow and swallow droppings

The Middle Ages took a stranger turn. One recipe blended lizard tallow with swallow droppings into a kind of hair gel.³ Another suggested boiling a dead lizard in oil and rubbing it in as a conditioner.

1800-1900: the blood of a bull

By the Victorian and Edwardian eras, hair loss "cures" had gone commercial. Pills sold to treat baldness contained haemoglobin taken from bull's blood. Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. Needless to say, it didn't work.

Modern day: minoxidil and finasteride

Thankfully, hair treatment has moved on from animal fat and bull's blood. Today, two clinically proven medications do the heavy lifting: minoxidil and finasteride.

Minoxidil increases blood flow to the scalp, widens the hair follicles, and extends the growth phase of the hair cycle, which together lead to thicker, fuller hair.⁴

Finasteride works differently. It blocks the enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone behind male pattern hair loss. With less DHT, the follicles stop shrinking.⁵

The numan take

We've come a long way from lizard tallow. Finasteride and minoxidil are now considered the most effective treatments for hair loss, and unlike bull's blood, there's real science behind them. If hair loss is on your mind, a quick online consultation with our clinical team is a far better place to start than the apothecary.

Want to try a treatment with clinical evidence behind it?

Complete a free online consultation.

Learn more

References

1 Ancient Egyptians used “hair gel.” Scientific American. [accessed 2 Sept 2026] Available from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ancient-egyptians-used-hair/

2 Biologics Q. The History & benefits of castor oil. Qhemet Biologics. 2024. [accessed 2 Sept 2026] Available from: https://qhemetbiologics.com/blogs/news/the-history-benefits-of-castor-oil

3 Woolcock N. Lizard shampoo, bloodletting and other wellness tips from the Middle Ages. The Times. 2025. [accessed 2 Sept 2026] Available from: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/history/article/medieval-health-wellness-fads-lizard-shampoo-3smd5b3vj

4 Gupta AK, Talukder M, Venkataraman M, Bamimore MA. Minoxidil: a comprehensive review. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022;33(4):1896–906.

5 Gupta AK, Venkataraman M, Talukder M, Bamimore MA. Finasteride for hair loss: a review. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022;33(4):1938–46.

Kirsty Mason

Content and Studio Lead, BA Sociology

After spending some time in Australia working in pharmaceuticals, Kirsty was excited to return to the UK and crack into the men’s health industry. She’s a passionate writer who loves to learn obscure facts about health and watch Dr Luke on TikTok.

See full profile.

Hassan Thwaini

Clinical Pharmacist and Copywriter, Master of Pharmacy (MPharm)

GPhC Registration: 2221320

Hassan is a specialist clinical pharmacist with a background in digital marketing and business development. He works as a Clinical Copywriter at Numan, leveraging his research and writing abilities to shine a light on the health complications affecting men and women.

See full profile.

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