What Norwood Am I? Diffused Thinning or Male Pattern?

[AlexJay80]

I'm 38 so at least I didn't lose hair when I was younger but I'm really starting to thin now.

I've been on Minoxidil and Finasteride for a month. There's been some improvement at the temples but the crown has gotten a bit worse.

I've recently had my hair buzzed to a Number 5 which makes the thinning look more obvious and severe - FYI, I can hide the majority of the thinning if the hair is longer.

Looking at the top down images do you think I have male pattern baldness or diffused thinning? I would have said before having it buzzed that my hairline was Norwood 2 with vertex thinning.

However, where would you say I am on the Norwood scale currently? Am I developing a full blown Norwood 6 or 7? And how long do you think I've got before that develops?

One image is taken in natural light and one is taken in very bright artificial light.

Thoughts would be appreciated.

[mrclean]

I would say you are about a 3 with diffuse thinning but still that is just another form of MPB. Stay on your treatments and hope something better comes along.

[AlexJay80]

Mrclean, I only started noticing vertex hair loss 6 months ago and it's been fairly aggressive since then. In all likelihood though, I probably only noticed it when the damage was done although I can hide most of it if my hair is long enough. I've had temporal recession for 20 years and it's been progressing at a snails pace.

I've no desire to go back to a Norwood 1 (haven't been that since 15/16). I'm content to be a Norwood 2.5/3 for a few years as long as I can thicken up the crown area. I suppose I've been lucky to get to 38 without hugely significant hair loss.

If I can stave off further hair loss till my mid 40's, I'll be happy as Larry (whoever he is).

[mrclean]

Believe me you don't want to go bald in your 40s...you start looking older and a bald head just makes you look like shit.