If you have concerns about hair loss or thinning, The Norwood Scale is a tool that you should be aware of. The Norwood scale outlines the progression of male pattern baldness through stages of 1 to 7. It can help classify what stage your hair loss is at, and therefore determine what treatment options are available to halt, or possibly reverse it. Introduced in the 1970s, this method of classifying male pattern baldness has been adopted by doctors around the world. Take a look at the 7 stages of hair loss below and read on to discover effective treatments for preventing and reversing male pattern baldness.
Stage 1
This is typically considered the “control” stage. People in Stage 1 still have a full head of hair, with little to no signs of thinning, hair loss, or a receding hairline.
Stage 2
Occasionally referred to as the “adult” or mature” hairline phase, people in Stage 2 show minor evidence of a receding hairline, generally around the temples.
Stage 3
Generally, hair loss starts to become significant and noticeable during Stage 3. The hairline becomes recessed at the temples, the area sometimes referred to as the “widow’s peak.”
Stage 3 vertex
This variation on Stage 3 shows less hair loss around the temples, but with significant loss at the crown of their head, the beginning of the bald spot typically associated with male pattern baldness.
Stage 4
At Stage 4, the hairline has receded farther and may start to resemble a “U” shape when viewed from above. The bald spot on the top of the head, if there is one, is larger as well, but there is still hair growth between the bald spot and the receding hairline.
Stage 5
A progression of Stage 4, with further hair loss making the hairline recede more and the strip of hair between bald spot and hairline growing thinner.
Stage 6
Hair loss has progressed to balding on the front and top of the head. There may still be hair growth on the sides and the back of the head, but the crown and front of the head are now mostly bald.
Stage 7
In stage 7, the baldness advances to the sides of the head, until only a thin ring of hair encircles the outside of the head. If some hair continues to grow, the growth is sparse and hairs tend to be thin and weak.
If you have concerns about hair loss or hair thinning, it’s best to act now. In the early Norwood stages, further hair loss can be prevented through lifestyle changes, over-the-counter products, or a change in your hair care regimen. Some prescriptive medications, such as the serum minoxidil or the pill Finasteride, can affect an improvement in the hair’s appearance. For those with permanent hair loss who identify with the later stages of the Norwood scale, there are minimally invasive options to restore a full head of hair. Hair follicles that stop producing hair become dormant after about two years and can’t be reactivated. In this case, it’s time to consider the effective, long-lasting results of medical aesthetic treatment.
Whatever stage of the Norwood Scale you are experiencing, medical aesthetics are your best chance at stopping, and reversing, the signs of hair loss. Hair restoration treatments are safe, effective, and one of the most common aesthetic procedures sought after by men today. Venus Concept’s cutting-edge devices use the gold standard method for hair restoration, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). During an FUE session, the treatment provider extracts individual hair follicles from the back or sides of the head using a specialized device and then implants them in the area where more hair growth is desired. The newly implanted hair follicles continue the natural hair growth cycle and results improve each week, with full realization at 9-12 months post-procedure.
Unlike previous methods, which involved surgically removing a strip from the back of the patient’s scalp and grafting it to a new area, FUE procedures are minimally invasive, enable a faster recovery process, and leave no linear scarring. Our NeoGraft® and Artas® devices use precision harvesting and transplanting for optimal success, with placement that looks as natural as hair should. Our state-of-the-art hair loss procedures are a customized solution that allows you to get back to your life quickly, comfortably, and feeling good about how you look.
At Venus Concept, we know hair and, most importantly, we know how to get yours back. Speak to a hair restoration expert near you today by using the search field below.
