After the fall of the Roman empire, the use of wigs in non-use in the West fell for a thousand years until they were revived in the 16th century as a means of compensating for hair loss or improving their own personal appearance. They also served a practical purpose: the unhygienic conditions of the time led to that hairdoers headaches, a problem that could be greatly reduced if natural hair were shaved and replaced with a lighter de-loused artificial hairpiece. Fur hoods were also used in a similar preventive manner.

Royal patronage was crucial for the revival of the wig. Queen Elizabeth I of England famous wore a red wig, tightly and artistically waved in a "novel" style, while among the men King Louis XIII of France started wig wearing in 1624 pioneering work when he started bald prematurely. This fashion was largely promoted by his son and successor Louis XIV of France, which contributed to its spread in European and European countries.

Wigs and wigs for men were introduced in the English-speaking world with other French styles, when Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660 lace wig glue, after a long exile in France. These wigs were shoulder-length or longer human hair front lace wigs, imitating the long hair that had become fashionable among the men since the 1620s. Their use was soon popular in the English court. The London diary Samuel Pepys registers the day in 1665 that a barber had shaved his head and that he was trying on his new wig for the first time but in a year of plague he was worried about wearing it:

With wigs virtually obligatory garment for men with social rank, wigs won great prestige. A wiggle guild was founded in France in 1665, soon a development in the rest of Europe copied. Their task was a skillful one as wigs from the 17th century were extremely elaborate, for the back and the shoulders and the chest flows down; Not surprising, they were also very heavy and often uncomfortable to wear. Such wigs were expensive to manufacture. The best examples were made from natural human hair. The hair of horses and goats was often used as a cheaper alternative.