Walk past any traditional barbershop, and you’ll likely see it—the iconic red, white, and blue pole slowly spinning outside, inviting customers in. It’s a symbol that’s instantly recognizable, but have you ever stopped to wonder why barbershops use it? Why those colors? And why a pole at all?
Turns out, the history of the barber pole is anything but random. In fact, it dates back centuries to a time when barbers weren’t just cutting hair and shaping beards, they were also performing surgeries, pulling teeth, and even practicing bloodletting. Yes, you read that right.
Let’s take a deep dive into one of the most enduring symbols in the world of grooming and uncover the surprising story behind those swirling stripes.
Barbers Were the Original Surgeons
Before modern medicine as we know it, people didn’t go to a doctor for minor surgeries, instead they went to their barber. During the Middle Ages, barbers did a lot more than just trim hair and shave beards. They were known as barber-surgeons, performing everything from wound treatments and amputations to most bloodletting.
At the time, bloodletting was believed to cure everything from fevers to infections. The practice involved cutting a vein to drain “bad blood” from the body, a medical belief based on balancing the four humors (which, in hindsight, wasn’t exactly science-backed). Barbers would often use a sharp razor to make an incision and then wrap the patient’s arm with a white bandage to encourage blood flow. When the procedure was done, they would wash the bandage and hang it outside to dry.
Over time, these blood-stained bandages became associated with barbershops. And just like that, the earliest version of the barber pole was born.
Why Red, White, and Blue?
The red and white colors of the barber pole directly come from this history:
- The red represents the practice of bloodletting.
- White symbolizes the bandages used to wrap wounds or stop bleeding.
- As for the blue? That part is a bit more debated. Some believe the blue was later added in the United States as a patriotic touch, mimicking the colors of the American flag. Others argue that blue represents veins, completing the medical symbolism of the pole.
Either way, by the time barber poles became mass-produced, the red, white, and blue color scheme had become standard, especially in North America.
How the Barber-Surgeon Era Came to an End
By the late 1700s, the roles of barber and surgeon were officially separated. Medical advancements meant that surgery was finally being recognized as a highly specialized field, requiring more than just a steady hand and a sharp blade. The split became official in 1745 when the Company of Barber-Surgeons in England was divided into two distinct professions: barbers and surgeons.
From that point on, barbershops focused solely on grooming, while the medical side of things was left to doctors. But while barbers had moved on from performing surgeries, the barber pole remained as a lasting reminder of their bloody past.
Why the Pole Spins
If you’ve ever watched a barber pole in action, you’ve probably noticed the stripes seem to move endlessly in a spiral. That’s no accident. The spinning motion is meant to represent the way blood flowed down the bandages after a bloodletting procedure.
The poles themselves were often mounted outside shops as a way to attract customers, just like modern-day storefront signs. Over time, they evolved from cloth-wrapped sticks to the sleek, rotating poles we see today, often with internal lights to make them even more eye-catching.
The Barber Pole Today: A Timeless Symbol
Even though barbers have long left behind their surgical duties, the barber pole still stands as one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. Walk into any traditional barbershop, and you’ll still see it, a nod to a time when barbers weren’t just shaping beards but literally cutting into people’s veins.
While modern barbers are all about sharp fades and clean shaves rather than scalpels and sutures, the tradition of the barber pole lives on. It’s a symbol of craftsmanship, history, and the deep-rooted connection between grooming and personal care.
Looking for a Classic Barbershop Experience?
If you appreciate tradition but prefer your barber to stick to haircuts rather than medical procedures, visit Rendezvous Barbers in Toronto. We keep the spirit of the old-school barbershop alive (minus the bloodletting, of course).
