Where in the Norwood Scale am I?

[AndyBoy]

Hey everyone,

I am a 24 y/o male. I always had medium-long hair up until 4 years ago when I started wearing my hair short. Last year, around May, I decided to grow my hair again. I knew my hairline was receding, but hadn't realized it had receded so much. About the same time, I realized my crown was thinning. I started Minoxidil on June of last year, still on it. In May of this year I decided to shave my head, and to my horror, the thinning was all over the top of my head (I hadn't noticed due to the medium-long hair). Below are some pictures.
So, where on the Norwood Scale would I fit in? Also, I decided I would grow my hair one last time (hence why it is so messy in the recent pictures), any tips on this?
I have a strong cowlick which kinda hides the thinning and receding hairline (not completely, but I don't mind), but I plan to either comb it or slick it back once it gets long enough.

[k9gatton]

Hey everyone,

I am a 24 y/o male. I always had medium-long hair up until 4 years ago when I started wearing my hair short. Last year, around May, I decided to grow my hair again. I knew my hairline was receding, but hadn't realized it had receded so much. About the same time, I realized my crown was thinning. I started Minoxidil on June of last year, still on it. In May of this year I decided to shave my head, and to my horror, the thinning was all over the top of my head (I hadn't noticed due to the medium-long hair). Below are some pictures.
So, where on the Norwood Scale would I fit in? Also, I decided I would grow my hair one last time (hence why it is so messy in the recent pictures), any tips on this?
I have a strong cowlick which kinda hides the thinning and receding hairline (not completely, but I don't mind), but I plan to either comb it or slick it back once it gets long enough.

Going to definitely say your around a Norwood three. The hairline looks much better than the vertex. As you
already figured out, sometimes short hair makes androgen alopecia much worse.


Used to buzz my hair with clippers. But my hairline is so bad, a comb over is the only option I have now. (I have much worse androgen alopecia).

Really short hair usually shows the scalp. That in turn makes hair actually appear thinner, not thicker, than it really is. In fact, someone with a man bun actuall y buzzed it off, and than realized he was balding on top.

The same is even true for men who have DHT resistant hair "full heads..".

Growing your hair out will hide the recession, and diffuse vertex.

[AndyBoy]

Thanks for your response. I indeed figured that out the hard way haha. Honestly, regardless of the fact that it made my balding obvious, I liked the look; so that gives me comfort in knowing that when it is time to give up the fight and just shave it off I'll be fine. But I figured I'd grow my hair out one last time while I still have enough to do that haha.

Also, for clarification, on the pictures I uploaded the first one was when I first started using Minox, the last one was today. I think the crown has either improved a bit or stayed about the same in this year and a half, but the top overall has definitely thinned. I've only been using Minox on the top since June of this year, so hopefully I can see some improvement in that area.

On another note, I know Finasteride is way more effective than Minox, but I am a little scared of the side effects (I know, chances are I won't get them). I talked to my doctor about Finasteride and his recommendation was to not go on it given that I'm young (I was 23 at the moment), and the possible effects, such as the rare permanent erectile dysfunction that some papers have published about. What seems to be the consensus on this forum regarding the use of Finasteride for men my age?

[k9gatton]

Your vertex hair has grown in.

But why are you not using it on your hairline? That seems to be receded, as far as I can tell.

Minoxidil works just as well on the hairline. When I was 20, I was able to regrow all of my Norwood
II hair back. And I had to get a prescription. Plus it was only two percent back then.


Use it on your hairline as well. It's only five percent. I take thirty percent. So far I'm alive to talk
about it!

[Mpbman]

Thanks for your response. I indeed figured that out the hard way haha. Honestly, regardless of the fact that it made my balding obvious, I liked the look; so that gives me comfort in knowing that when it is time to give up the fight and just shave it off I'll be fine. But I figured I'd grow my hair out one last time while I still have enough to do that haha.

Also, for clarification, on the pictures I uploaded the first one was when I first started using Minox, the last one was today. I think the crown has either improved a bit or stayed about the same in this year and a half, but the top overall has definitely thinned. I've only been using Minox on the top since June of this year, so hopefully I can see some improvement in that area.

On another note, I know Finasteride is way more effective than Minox, but I am a little scared of the side effects (I know, chances are I won't get them). I talked to my doctor about Finasteride and his recommendation was to not go on it given that I'm young (I was 23 at the moment), and the possible effects, such as the rare permanent erectile dysfunction that some papers have published about. What seems to be the consensus on this forum regarding the use of Finasteride for men my age?

I was in a similar situation at around 24 or 25.. my hair on top started to thin out and I was too afraid taking propecia. I waited another year or two, taking supplements .. and the thinning got worse and worse.

I didn't want to become bald so I stared with propecia and it pretty much stopped (or significantly slowed down) my hair loss/thinning. I regret it every day that I didn't go on propecia sooner.

If I were you, I would start with propecia ASAP and if you're a good responder, you might slow down your hairloss.

[AndyBoy]

Your vertex hair has grown in.

But why are you not using it on your hairline? That seems to be receded, as far as I can tell.

Minoxidil works just as well on the hairline. When I was 20, I was able to regrow all of my Norwood
II hair back. And I had to get a prescription. Plus it was only two percent back then.


Use it on your hairline as well. It's only five percent. I take thirty percent. So far I'm alive to talk
about it!

I wasn't clear before, my bad. I have been using it on my crown AND hairline since June of last year, and all over top since June of this year.

[AndyBoy]

I was in a similar situation at around 24 or 25.. my hair on top started to thin out and I was too afraid taking propecia. I waited another year or two, taking supplements .. and the thinning got worse and worse.

I didn't want to become bald so I stared with propecia and it pretty much stopped (or significantly slowed down) my hair loss/thinning. I regret it every day that I didn't go on propecia sooner.

If I were you, I would start with propecia ASAP and if you're a good responder, you might slow down your hairloss.

I have read so much about it that I am still leaning towards not going on it. I am sure that chances are I won't get side effects, but just the slight chance of it makes me not want to. Also, I have heard that it is quite pricey, so I am thinking it might be better to save that money and invest in a FUE when I hit 30?

[Louish]

NW3 Vertex

[Mpbman]

I have read so much about it that I am still leaning towards not going on it. I am sure that chances are I won't get side effects, but just the slight chance of it makes me not want to. Also, I have heard that it is quite pricey, so I am thinking it might be better to save that money and invest in a FUE when I hit 30?

I believe that every HT doctor will recommend you to take propecia after the HT (to prevent further hair loss).

Yeah, it's certainly not cheap - I've calculated it to be about 30€ / 31 USD per month (buying a 6 months pack of generic finasteride, with shipping cost and online prescription included - from uk).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not pressuring you to take propecia - it's just what I would do if I were 24 again.

[jimmythekid]

You look like a good candidate for toppik. Seriously that stuff is amazing. Should see you through for a couple of years and who knows there may be a new treatment option by then and you won't have to risk propecia.

That's my plan anyway.

[k9gatton]

I have read so much about it that I am still leaning towards not going on it. I am sure that chances are I won't get side effects, but just the slight chance of it makes me not want to. Also, I have heard that it is quite pricey, so I am thinking it might be better to save that money and invest in a FUE when I hit 30?

Personally if you have any doubt, I say don't take it. In my own opinion, I think the side effects of Finasteride are five percent, or one in twenty men will have it. The other nineteen won't.


Also, the effects seem to occur after they stop.


However, it could be permanent. YouTube has lots of good pro and con videos, directly from doctors.


And I know a doctor who is making a lawsuit. Doctor's in the US do make money, so he's probably not doing it for that.


That said, many men get excellent results. In fact, in a study with identical twins, the twin who took Finasteride beat his brother who used both laser and Minoxidil.


But both had hair regrowth, it should be noted. The Finasteride appeared to have much better growth than his brother. Was it a biased TV show, probably. Who knows. The contestants could have been hand picked. I really don't know.

[AlexJay80]

I know this thread is old but I don't where people are getting Norwood 3 from?! Your hair hasn't receded anywhere enough for that.

You're a Norwood 2 Vertex as your front hairline is much further than 3cm anterior to a coronal line drawn between the external auditory meatuses.

Hoping on Finasteride as well as Minoxidil will likely improve your vertex significantly. It's worth the possible side effects considering how worried you are.