The Norwood Scale for Men’s Hair Loss, Explained

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Double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner, MD, explains what the 7 Norwood Scale stages look like

Co-authored by Ellen Turner, MD and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: September 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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• 7 Stages of Hair Loss
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• What is the Norwood Scale?
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• Causes of Men’s Hair Loss
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• Hair Restoration Solutions

|Show more |Show less

If you’ve caught yourself looking in the mirror and wondering, “Has my hair always looked this thin?”, you may be wondering if you’re in the early stages of hair loss. Thankfully, the Norwood Scale provides an easy-to-use visual guide that outlines 7 stages of hair loss to help you determine if you’re balding. We’ll show you what each stage looks like below, plus review how accurate the scale is, the causes of male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), and what hair restoration options you have, with insights from hair loss specialists and dermatologists.

What are the Norwood stages of hair loss?

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Double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner, MD, says the Norwood Scale classifies the progression of male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) into 7 stages from no hair loss to near complete baldness. Several stages include Type A variants to describe alternate paths of hairline recession.

• Stages 1-2 are not yet considered clinically balding.
• Stages 3-5 indicate noticeable hair loss and are the best times for intervention.
• Stages 6-7 represent significant balding, but hair transplants are still possible.

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Section 1 of 4:

The 7 Stages of Hair Loss on the Norwood Scale

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   Norwood stage 1: Little or no hair loss or hairline recession The first stage of the Norwood Scale represents a typical scalp and hairline without any visible evidence of hair loss, says Dr. Turner. This is the baseline that the other stages of the scale are measured against.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Ellen Turner, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist and the founder of the Dermatology Office with locations in Dallas and Irving, Texas.

   Courtney Foster is a certified hair loss practitioner whose work has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and more.

   David Nazarian, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician specializing in concierge medicine, executive health, and integrative medicine.

   Matt King is a professional hair stylist with over 15 years of experience and the Director of Education at Fox and Jane Salon Group.

   Craig Whitely is a master barber and men’s grooming consultant with over 15 years of experience in men’s skincare, shaving techniques, and grooming trends.
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   Norwood stage 2: Slight hair loss at the temples In stage 2, you’ll start to notice mild recession at the front of the hairline that may create a widow’s peak, explains Dr. Turner. You might also notice slight hair loss around your temples (the skin between your ears and forehead), but you are not yet considered balding.

   • Stage 2A: The hairline recedes backward in a uniform band, rather than just at the temples. It may recede slightly further than a typical stage 2.
   • Some clinicians refer to stage 2 as a “mature hairline” and do not consider it a sign of clinical hair loss (it’s normal to have some hairline recession as you age). If you’re not sure whether your hairline is simply mature or actively receding, check out our guide on how to tell the difference.
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   Norwood stage 3: Deep hairline recession around the temples In stage 3, Dr. Turner says the recession at the frontal hairline becomes more prominent and begins to form an M, W, or V shape. The hairline recession is noticeable at this point and exceeds what you’d expect for a typical mature hairline. This is widely considered the earliest stage that indicates significant balding.

   • Stage 3A: The hairline continues receding toward the mid-scalp in a uniform band, rather than forming a pointed shape.
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   Norwood stage 4: Very deep hairline recession and thinning at the crown In stage 4, Dr. Turner says the recession at the frontal scalp is present, along with hair loss at the posterior crown of your scalp. Your hairline recession is now considered very deep. However, there is still a moderately dense band of hair separating your hairline from the forming bald spot.

   • Stage 4A: Your hairline has receded past your mid-scalp, but you are not experiencing hair loss or thinning at the crown.
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   Norwood stage 5: Hairline recession connecting to the bald spot on the crown In stage 5, the two areas of hair loss at the front and crown become even thinner and begin to merge, explains Dr. Turner. There is now significant balding at the crown of your head, and your hairline has receded so far that there is no longer any hair separating it from the bald spot.

   • Stage 5A: The bald area extends from the front of your head past the crown in a uniform band, leaving a horseshoe-like band of hair around the back and sides of your head. This looks very similar to a standard stage 5 or 6, but is formed by continuous hairline recession (rather than the hairline joining a bald spot on the crown).
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   Norwood stage 6: Hair between temples and crown is thinning or gone Stage 6 is considered major hair loss. The area of baldness is one contiguous area from the crown to the frontal scalp, notes Dr. Turner. There may be some sparse thin hair present, she adds, but no meaningful growth or coverage. For example, there may be a “halo” of hair around the sides and back of your head.
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   Norwood stage 7: No hair on top of the head This is the final and most advanced stage, says Dr. Turner. The only hair remaining is in a horseshoe distribution around the sides of your head and the back of your scalp, often in a very thin band. In other words, you have no hair left on the top of your head and are almost entirely bald.
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Section 2 of 4:

What is the Norwood Scale?

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   The Norwood Scale is a classification system for male pattern hair loss. The scale evaluates androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), says Dr. Turner, with each stage progressing to a more advanced stage, ending with stage 7. When balding is due to genetics, the hair loss tends to occur in a somewhat predictable pattern. The Norwood Scale was developed in 1975 to assign stages to this pattern so men and their healthcare providers could identify hair loss early on and decide if and how to intervene or restore the loss.

   • The Norwood Scale is based on an earlier system called the Hamilton Scale (which is why you will sometimes hear it called the Norwood-Hamilton Scale).
   • The Norwood Scale is simpler compared to the Hamilton scale and includes Type A variants to describe alternate hairline recession paths.
   • Can women use the Norwood Scale? No. Female pattern baldness progresses differently than male pattern baldness (there is much less hairline recession and more thinning on the top of the head). The Ludwig Scale or Savin Scale are used to identify the stages of women’s hair loss.
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   The scale is popular, but not necessarily accurate or reproducible. Although it’s the most used system to classify male hair loss, the Norwood Scale has its limitations. For one, studies in the International Journal of Trichology show that it isn’t reproducible between clinicians (AKA, your doctor may determine you’re at stage 2, while a hair transplant specialist might say you’re at stage 3 or 4). And, even with the Type A variants, the scale doesn’t fully account for all of the various ways and reasons that men may lose their hair.

   • Even if it’s not totally accurate, the scale is still helpful for determining whether you’re in the early stages of hair loss or not. You have the most treatment options in stages 2-4, so identifying these early signs is important for determining what to do about your hair loss.
   • The Norwood scale is so well-known that it is even used by some in the looksmaxxing community to rate and compare “ideal” hairlines and fullness.
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Section 3 of 4:

Causes of Male Pattern Baldness

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   Genetics “Male pattern baldness is usually genetic,” explains certified hair loss practitioner Courtney Foster. So, look at your family tree to see if hair loss may be in your future. If your maternal grandfather has male pattern baldness, you’re likely (but not destined) to have it as well. And, if your father is bald, you’re twice as likely to have male pattern baldness.

   • Specifically, it’s the AR gene on your X chromosome (inherited from your mother) that determines if you’ll develop male pattern baldness or not.
   • Foster adds that, “If hair loss starts because of hereditary issues, there's really nothing that you can do to avoid it.”
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   Hormones The hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) may be linked to the shrinking of your hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. DHT is an androgen (a sex hormone that causes you to begin puberty and physically mature) that’s partly responsible for hair growth on your face, scalp, chest, underarms, and genitals. If you have high levels of DHT or are genetically sensitive to its effects, it may be the cause behind your hair loss.
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   Age Most men’s chances of developing male pattern baldness increase as they get older. About 25% of men will see the initial signs of hair loss before age 21. This increases to 50% of men by age 50, and 70% of men as they get even older.

   • “Hair thinning can occur for a variety of reasons,” explains Dr. Turner. These can include lifestyle habits, stress, or even the way you style your hair. Regardless of the cause, “it needs to be addressed medically,” she continues. “I would immediately seek the help of a dermatologist because we're the experts when it comes to hair.”
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Section 4 of 4:

Hair Restoration Solutions

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   Lower your stress and embrace healthy habits to slow or stop hair loss. If your hair loss is due to aging or lifestyle factors, there are several things you can do to improve the health of your existing hair and encourage new or stronger growth. “One of the key things is to eliminate a lot of stress, because stress does cause hair loss,” Foster says.

   • Foster also recommends that you “have a healthy diet, increase green, leafy vegetables, and increase water to make sure the scalp is healthy.”
   • Also, “make sure that the hair that is left on the head is properly moisturized,” Foster adds. You can add moisture to your hair with hydrating shampoos and conditioners or moisturizing hair serums or oils.
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   Skip harsh chemicals, heat, or tight hairstyles when you’re doing your hair. Foster lists a variety of potentially hair-damaging treatments to watch out for if you want to preserve your existing hair and encourage healthier growth: “Avoid tension, harsh chemicals, heavy products, [ingredients like] sulfates and parabens, excessive pulling, excessive heat, excessive damage from the elements, too much shampoo, or shampooing with the wrong ingredients for your scalp type. These can all cause hair loss.”
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   Consider vitamin supplements to encourage healthy hair. Board-certified internal medicine physician David Nazarian, MD, explains that “The vitamins and supplements that have been shown in the medical literature to help with hair loss [are] folic acid, biotin at 5000 micrograms a day, and vitamin C. Selenium can also help with hair growth.” Together, concludes Dr. Nazarian, these vitamins “can help with hair growth and stronger hair.”
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   Try topical or oral hair loss medications. Professional hair stylist Matt King notes that “Rogaine or similar products are meant primarily to be applied in the crown of the head” to help with bald spots and thinning. “There are other options, such as minoxidil pills, that will help for other areas of the head,” like the hairline.

   • Over-the-counter Rogaine (topical minoxidil) and its generic equivalents are available to buy without a prescription. Oral minoxidil medication or a higher-strength topical formula require a prescription.
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   Visit a dermatologist to discuss medical interventions. There are a variety of procedures that can be done to regrow or transplant your lost or thinning hair. For example, Dr. Nazarian recommends “regenerative treatments” like “platelet-rich plasma injections for hair loss. Platelet-rich plasma has growth factors inside of it. If you do therapies like this, you can help revive [dormant hair follicles].”

   • Dr. Turner also suggests exosome therapy: “In the case of the scalp, when we place those exosomes in the scalp, they allow and encourage new hair regrowth, especially in the case of androgenetic alopecia.” (Exosomes are microscopic, fluid-filled bubbles released by your cells that carry proteins, fats, and genetic information.)
   • Foster adds that “low laser light therapy” or “surgical procedures” like a hair transplant may also be considered.
   • Ultimately, your dermatologist will suggest a treatment plan based on the severity and cause of your specific hair loss.
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   Consider a cosmetic treatment like scalp pigmentation. “The non-invasive [option] is scalp pigmentation or micro-scalp pigmentation,” Foster says. Also known as a “hair tattoo,” scalp micropigmentation covers bald spots or thinning hair with tiny dots of color to cover bald spots or create the look of a shaved head.

   • The treatment is non-invasive and doesn’t require surgery or anesthesia.
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   Embrace your hair loss and get a flattering cut from your stylist. “I would say always embrace the hair loss,” recommends master barber and men’s grooming consultant Craig Whitely. “Get your barber to cut your hair to a complementary length where everything looks about the same so that it doesn’t look like you’re balding. Then, use some form of a thickening agent to make it look fuller in that area.”

   • Whitely continues, “Sometimes a shorter haircut is going to be the better option because the longer the hair is, the more you'll see the spaces in between where there's no longer growth.”
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