Norwood Scale: The receding hairline stages explained

Noticing the early signs of hair loss? The Norwood Scale (otherwise known as the Hamilton-Norwood scale) is one of the simplest ways to work out whether your hairline is receding. By figuring out which stage you’re at, it becomes even easier to find the right kind of treatment plan for you. Here are the receding hairline stages of the Norwood Scale explained. 

Stage 1 - The first stage on the Norwood Scale is the simplest one to identify. If you have zero signs of hair loss and don’t have any clear signs of recession, stage one is where you are currently at. 

Stage 2 - The second stage isn’t too far off the first, with the two often grouped together as degrees of each other. Men on stage two have small signs of recession around the temple area. This is sometimes referred to as an adult or mature hairline.

Stage 3 - Stage three is where the first early signs of clinically significant hair loss start to appear. Forming an M, V or U shape, the hairline around both of your temples will have recessed. These areas are either covered with a few strands of hair or are entirely hairless. 

Stage 4 - This stage is identical to stage three, except for the addition of balding around the crown area. If you’re at either stage three or four, it’s time to begin a treatment plan so you can have the best chance of fighting your hair loss.

Stage 5 - At stage five, the recession around the crown and temples becomes even more advanced than in the previous stage.

Stage 6 - Stage six continues this gradual recession with even deeper hair loss at the temples and crown. However, the two balding areas are still separated by healthy hair on either side of the scalp.

Stage 7 - Stage seven is when advanced recession begins. The areas of balding at the crown and temples join as the bridging hair starts to thin. 

Stage 8 - Reaching stage eight means the complete loss of hair at the top of your head. Losing hair from your temples down to the back of your hair is referred to as full recession and almost impossible to reclaim.

If you want the best chance of having successful hair loss treatment, spotting hair loss early is crucial. Want to make triple-sure your hairline is staying the same? We suggest taking comparative pictures of your hairline every few months so you can keep an eye on those early signs. Figuring out where you are on the Norwood Scale will help us determine which of our treatment plans is best suited to your hair.

All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.