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[–] 111 points 2 years ago (10 children)

I thought it was to cover up syphilitic lesions and just kinda stuck around.

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  • [–] 18 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    That's pretty much what the article says

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  • [–] 46 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Wigs began to catch on in the late 16th century when an increasing number of people in Europe were contracting the STI. Without widespread treatment with antibiotics (Sir Alexander Fleming didn't discover penicillin, the treatment for syphilis until 1928), people with syphilis were plagued by rashes, blindness, dementia, open sores and hair loss. The hair loss was particularly problematic in social circles.

    This fucking culture, man. People getting dimensia and going blind, but if they loose their hair then their friends abandon them.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

    It was also a thing of class since white powdered wigs where taxed more if remember right. Cant have the poor people looking pimp in white wigs!

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