The-Norwood-Hair-Scale

The Norwood Hair Scale

Norwood Hair Scale (or Hamilton-Norwood Scale) is a leading classification system for measuring the extent of male pattern baldness. Men typically lose their hair in one of several popular styles.

The Norwood hair scale was developed in 1951 by Dr. Hamilton and expanded in 1975 by Dr. Norwood. It is the measurement used by dermatologists and hair clinics to indicate how serious the hair loss is in androgenic alopecia and in which areas it occurs, to determine the treatment with greater precision.

Norwood hair scale shows your hair loss level and classifies hair loss levels in degrees from 1 to 7, with 12 different loss types.

In addition to determining the level of your hair loss; moreover, it gives an approximate idea of the type of treatment that should relate to your hair loss. If the hair loss is in a high stage, it may be troublesome to win your hair with a pharmaceutical. In such cases, you ought to have your right hair transplantation.

Male alopecia usually has genetic and hormonal causes, although certain nutritional deficiencies or times of stress can also play a role. If it is due to these last two causes, it will be male alopecia but of the telogen effluvium type.

It occurs after the age of 20, although it can appear at younger ages, and with advancing age, it can affect up to 80% of the male population.

Thus, capillary density begins to be lost in the frontal and temporal areas (entrances), to continue in the crown. The hair follicles in these areas are more sensitive to androgens, hormones that cause progressive miniaturization of the follicles until they completely disappear.

Hair Loss Stages According To The Norwood Hair Scale

First Stage Conventional Hair Loss

After puberty, we can see it from a young age. This is the degree to which the male-pattern hair loss does not affect the patient. The hair spreads even and thick on the scalp, and the hairline is in its original position.

No recession of the hairline, and there is no visible hair loss.

Second Stage: More Common In Adults and Older Ages

  • The Norwood scale shows how the hairline slightly begins to recede from the temples. This beginning level is so low that the patient may not notice the effect. On the other hand, hair loss affects the patient from the middle of his original hairline. Hair loss starts on the front-line hairline.
  • At this level, it is not possible not to notice the effects of the patients and their close encounters. And/or the vertex may appear with no hair on it.
  • The hairline recess at both temples has the shape of a V or M.

Third Stage : Normal Male Hair Loss Is at Earlier Ages

  • In this stage, we can see the hairline recedes up to the middle of the scalp, and/or exposes the full vertex. There may be a small area with hair to the front.
  • Hair loss within the front side of your scalp. The hairline is at its thinnest level in the middle of the scalp or completely gone with the sidelines intact.
  • At this level, you are going to start noticing the hair loss and the vertex may start to appear. We use the Norwood hair scale to determine the degree of precipitation which we use for medical reports and better treatment.

Fourth Stage: It Appears On The Top Of Your Head

Sidelines begin to recede down to the donor area. The scalp is mostly exposed; there still may be a small amount of hair in the front. Hair falls within the front of the scalp.

It is like stage 2 and the vertex is to exposition, but the hair will remain on the side of the scalp.

Fifth Stage: Hair Loss Within The Brow

  • However, the problem begins on the top as well. The bridge between the front and the top has still a particular hair mass. * Tip: Thinning areas may also appear on the crown.
  • In the last level of hair loss, only the donor area between the two ears is still intact, and we expose the full scalp. The loss of hair going to be larger than in stage 4 but the sidelines going to be intact.

Sixth Stage: Hair Loss From The Crown And The Frontal Region

The temples and vertex get to join. In addition, the top of the head is gone. This is a very advanced phase where patients can feel unplaced with their image and have low self-esteem. The Norwood scale can determine the level of the advance of the hair loss, to choose the best treatment.

Seventh Stage: Most Of The Hair Has Been Lost

This is the last stage of hair loss and only the donor area is still intact. We use the Norwood hair scale to determine the degree of precipitation for deciding treatment, medical reports, and getting the best results possible.

Eighth Stage: The Most Serious Stage Of Hair Loss

If there is only some hair going around the sides of the head remains. This hair is usually not dense and is possible that the donor area has not enough graft to cover the baldness of the rest of the hair. Therefore, this is the most critical phase of the Norwood scale because in some cases there isn’t a solution.

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