When Were Barber Surgeons Around?

First recognized around 1000 A.D., barber surgeons were considered the medical and grooming experts in Europe throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. Early barber surgeons found their homes within the monasteries of Europe.

When did barbers become surgeons?

In 1540, Henry VIII united the Company of the Barbers and the Fellowship of Surgeons with a royal decree and created one unified trade guild - the Company of Barber-Surgeons. Barbers and surgeons remained joined in this way for more than two centuries.

When did barbers and surgeons separate?

Finally, in 1743, every barber and wig maker in France was forbidden to perform surgery. Two years later, barbers and surgeons were also completely separated in England. In 1800 their guild became the Royal College of Surgeons, while barbers were left to deal with hair and other cosmetic concerns.