After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the use of wigs fell into disuse in the West for a thousand years before being revived in the 16th century as a means of compensating for hair loss or improving one's appearance. They also had a practical use: the unsanitary conditions of the time meant that hair attracted head lice, a problem that could be greatly reduced if natural hair was shaved off and replaced with artificial wigs that could more easily remove the lice.

Royal patronage was crucial to the revival of wigs. The famous Queen Elizabeth I of England wore a red wig, tightly and delicately curled in a 'Roman' style, while among men, King Louis XIII of France was the first to wear a wig when he began to go bald prematurely in 1624. The fashion was largely promoted by his son and successor Louis XIV of France, which contributed to its spread throughout Europe and the European-influenced countries.

When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660 after a long period of exile in France, the men's peyrouk or wig was introduced to the rest of the French style in the English-speaking world. These wigs were shoulder-length or longer and imitated the long hair that had been popular among men since the 1620s. Their use soon became popular at the English court.

For men of social status, wigs were almost compulsory clothing and wig makers gained considerable prestige. In 1665 a guild of wig makers was founded in France and this development was soon replicated elsewhere in Europe. Their work was a skilled one, for the wigs of the 17th century were very elaborate, covering the back and shoulders and flowing down the chest; not surprisingly, they were also very heavy and often uncomfortable to wear. These wigs were very expensive to produce. The best examples were made from natural human hair. Horse and goat hair was often used as a cheaper alternative.

By the early 19th century, the wearing of wigs as a symbol of social status had largely been abandoned in the newly established United States and France. In the United States, only four presidents, from John Adams to James Monroe, wore curly powdered wigs, lined up in the old 18th century style. Unlike them, George Washington, the first president, never wore a wig. Instead, he had his long hair powdered, curled and lined up.

Women's wigs developed in a different way. They were worn from the 18th century onwards, although at first only clandestinely. Full wigs were not popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Older women who had lost their hair often wore them.