Outside many barbershops stands the iconic red and white barber pole. Although it may seem like a decorative item at first glance, it actually carries an unusual chapter of medical history.
For centuries, barbers were not just barbers. They were physicians, doctors and even surgeons.
You find this shocking, right? But such was the state of the medical industry in Western and Northern Europe during the 15th century. Barbers used to perform a range of surgeries from tooth extractions to stitches and even amputations. Originally, such tasks were reserved for monks. However, they were required by their churches to maintain a certain hairstyle called “tonsures”, which needed tending from barbers. As a result, monasteries often accommodated at least one barber.
At first, barbers took on assisting roles during surgical procedures. However, in 1215, the Catholic Church forbade monks from performing surgeries as Church authorities deemed the shedding of blood incompatible with clerical life.
And thus, barbers took over the stage and the story of the barber-surgeon began.
During this period, medical schools emerged, yet the professionals trained here regarded themselves as scholars rather than practitioners of surgery. Thanks to this, the role of “practical operators” was left to barbers. Barber-surgeons’ work also extended to battlefields, where they would provide wound care and hairdressing to soldiers.
As with any practice at the time, barbers relied on knowledge of both human anatomy and astrology: they memorized “poems” to recall the most suitable body parts for bloodletting (temples for headaches, back of the legs for hemorrhoids, etc), and also took astronomical events into account when prescribing treatment.
Around the 1300 CE, the North Atlantic was struck by unpredicted weather associated with The Little Ice Age, which caused recurring famines. This forced people to consume contaminated or infested flour. Consequently, food poisoning and widespread illnesses inevitably occurred. In severe instances, amputations – procedures normally performed by barbers – became necessary to prevent infection.
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One of the most notable barber-surgeons was Ambroise Pare, who is also called the “father of modern surgery”. In the 16th century, he began publishing medical journals and assumed a teaching position at France’s first surgical college. He also helped revolutionize battlefield medicine by replacing the painful yet useless practice of pouring boiling oil onto gunshot wounds with an antiseptic salve made from egg yolk, rosemary water and turpentine.
By the 18th century, surgical knowledge had advanced substantially, introducing new wound-closing techniques and complex operations such as cancerous tissue removal. The barber-surgeon relationship – already dissipating – was further separated as surgery became more specialised. Henceforth, surgeons and dentists transitioned into university-trained professions while barbers continued their typical trade as craftsmen trained through apprenticeships.
The legacy of barber-surgeons is still visible today. If one cares enough to take notice of the iconic barber pole with red and white stripes: according to legend, they represent blood and the bandages used by their premodern counterparts.
Credits: TED-Ed
Editor: Ngoc Anh Bui
Illustrator: Phuong Trinh Nhu