To get anywhere, you need to have a starting point. With hair loss or male pattern baldness, to “grade” that starting (or reference) point, we use the Norwood system of classification. The same classification system can be used to track the progression of hair loss. Understanding the current extent of loss as well as the pattern to which the balding is likely to follow is essential when looking at treatment options. Importantly, it can be used by doctors to document a foundation and then monitor and evaluate treatment outcomes.
We explain each class in the Norwood classification system below. To get a correct diagnosis for your hair loss, it is imperative to see a hair restoration expert. Only then will you have the right information to decide on your path for successful hair loss treatment.
The Norwood Classification System
According to the location and severity of male pattern baldness, you can be classified in 1 of 7 stages.
Class 1
Adolescent or juvenile hairline and does not represent balding.
Class 2
The hairline has progressed to an adult or mature hairline and does not represent balding.
Class 3
This is the earliest stage of male pattern baldness. Receding hairline and thinning hair on the crown / vertex area.
Class 4
Pronounced receding hairline and absence of hair on the vertex. Still a strip of hair across the top, separating the front and the vertex (crown).
Class 5
The bald areas in the front and crown have enlarged and the strip across the top is sparse.
Class 6
The bridge of hair across the top has now completely gone, leaving a large bald patch from the front to the back of the crown / vertex. The hair on the sides remains relatively high.
Class 7
Significant loss of hair with the only areas of hair now low on the sides and back.
The rate at which men lose hair varies dramatically from individual to individual. Careful maintenance of the donor area in the early stages of balding will ensure maximum number of donor follicles in the event of hair transplant.
Next Steps
Hair loss can be treated at any stage from Class 3. Male pattern baldness can start as early as your twenties and can be successfully treated with a variety of options including PRP therapy or Gro micro-transplant hair transplant results.
Simply click on one of the buttons below to book a consultation or ask a question. Alternatively, you can give Gro a call on 1300 787 563.
Related Article: 6 Reasons Why People Go Bald
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