Castillo Rancon
Long before pharmacies or skincare advice, people turned to what they had—ashes and heavy metals. Health and beauty were guided by belief and tradition. Many of those old methods seem startling now, but they were once trusted and widely used. If you’re curious, here are 10 practices that influenced how medieval people perceived and treated the human body and appearance.
Bloodletting Was A Go-To For Nearly Every Illness
Bloodletting held a central place in medieval medicine and was widely practiced across Europe. It was taught in medieval universities and grounded in the theory of the four humors. Used for acne and fever, it often caused harm as barber surgeons extracted dangerous amounts of blood using leeches or blades.
Mercury Ointments Were Prescribed As Skin Cures
Arabic physicians believed mercury sublimate had purifying effects and used it in salves for skin conditions. These treatments spread to Europe via Andalusian scholarship. While mercury ointments became trusted remedies, they often led to tremors and neurological harm, well-recorded in both Islamic and European texts.
Arsenic Tablets Promised Porcelain Skin
In 14th-century Italy and Germany, pale skin was a sign of wealth. Elite women ingested arsenic tablets sold in markets, praised in cosmetic manuals for their whitening effects. However, continued use damaged organs and caused death, which proved that status often came at a high and irreversible medical cost.
Urine Was A Daily Cleanser And Mouthwash
Medieval hygiene went beyond herbs and water—urine was a daily tool. It was used to wash faces and whiten teeth because of its ammonia content. English cosmetic manuals from the 1200s endorsed it as an affordable cleanser that could reliably fade blemishes and refresh breath.
Lead Paste Was The Makeup Of The Nobility
Paste made from white lead and vinegar created a pale, desirable look, as documented in beauty texts of the time. Queen Elizabeth I famously used it. Though noblewomen valued the effect, long-term use led to facial sores and poisoning, revealing the hidden cost of such dangerous beauty solutions.
Burned Feathers And Herbs Fought Off Odors
Scent rituals in elite Byzantine and Italian homes involved more than perfume. People burned feathers and blended them with lavender or rosemary, then packed the mixture into armpits or undergarments. These aromatic bundles were believed to ward off miasma (unhealthy vapor) and prevent the spread of airborne illnesses.
Crushed Mice Were Applied To Soothe Toothaches
Rural healers across Anglo-Saxon England and parts of France believed crushed mice could draw pain from sore gums. Sometimes mixed with onion or sage, the paste was applied directly to the skin. This folk remedy, listed in the Leechbook of Bald, relied on sympathetic magic to transfer suffering.
Monks Used Fasting To Improve Skin Clarity
Fasting wasn’t only a spiritual practice; it was also seen as a physically cleansing one. Monks in Cistercian and Benedictine orders practiced fasting as a form of purification for both their souls and bodies. Monastic manuals recorded that blemish-free complexions symbolized divine favor.
Gold Leaf Was Pressed Onto Faces At Night
Elite women in Al-Andalus placed thin gold leaf sheets on their faces at night. They believed gold revived tired skin and supported collagen. Cosmetic manuscripts from the 11th century document this costly ritual, which was reserved only for the most privileged households of the time.
Ash-Based Pastes Stimulated Hair Growth
Birch or alder ash mixed with goose fat was massaged into the scalps of medieval Slavic villagers. Though never formally recorded, the recipe was preserved through oral tradition across Polish and Russian communities. Women believed that ash could stimulate hair follicles and synchronize growth with the moon’s rhythms.
