Differences Between Norwood 5, 6, And Norwood 7

[hanginginthewire]

can we talk a bit about this? With words and pics? Norwood 5 means virtually no hair on top with high sides but isn't that six as well? When deciding if transplantation is appropriate for me I want to have a clear understanding if I'm a 5 or 6.

 

[Roberto_72]

Norwood 5 comes in different variations: classic, anterior, vertex

 

[hanginginthewire]

@Roberto_72, or anyone else who wishes to opine, say what norwood pattern they see in this pic?

(sorry can't seem to make the image bigger)

 

[hanginginthewire]

..

 

[Roberto_72]

Your temples are not very bald but you're more of a "diffuse" (not for nothing you named a picture "diffuse.jpg".
In these cases, the "Norwood" scale is not very indicative.
I would say 2.5 but I would add the adjective diffuse.
If I were you I would probably grow my hair a bit on top because otherwise you can see too much scalp.
Makes sense?

 

[hanginginthewire]

Your temples are not very bald but you're more of a "diffuse" (not for nothing you named a picture "diffuse.jpg".
In these cases, the "Norwood" scale is not very indicative.
I would say 2.5 but I would add the adjective diffuse.
If I were you I would probably grow my hair a bit on top because otherwise you can see too much scalp.
Makes sense?

Thanks! Makes perfect sense, but I'm more asking what future pattern is emerging from the diffusion. Though I'm on propecia, my understanding is that the area that is diffusing will eventually be slick bald. Maybe that's not correct though?

But yeah I was wondering what Norwood I would be if the area that is diffuse goes slick bald. Can't tell if its 5 or 6. If its 6, I feel like transplantation should not be considered. Which bums me out. Seems diffuse often equals doomed.
.

 

[jetlife1]

If you respond okay to propecia you might never go bald. The longest finasteride study sure does point that way. Miniaturized hair in the diffuse areas should grow back longer, thicker, and more cosmetically significant over time under the influence of finasteride.

 

[shookwun]

If you respond okay to propecia you might never go bald. The longest finasteride study sure does point that way. Miniaturized hair in the diffuse areas should grow back longer, thicker, and more cosmetically significant over time under the influence of finasteride.

you have been posting along of balognie lately. I suppose it's a method of coping?


finasteride doesn't halt 100% of conversions.

In respect to thinnning areas, it doesn't grow back all thinning hairs thicker over time. More balognie.


In most cases it can reverse early thinning, and making your entire scalp healthier. Hair on the advanced side typically never returns, and is maintained.

I have been on finasteride for close to five years now.



hair loss is progressive, and over time you will inevitably thin, have a change in pigmentation and show your final norwood pattern in a non-uniform pattern.

 

[jetlife1]

How do you think it is "coping?" I'm trying to help people out. My hair is VERY thick because of finasteride and my hairline is now a lot better. My hair is almost just about as good as it was when I was a teenager. I get compliments daily, but without the drug I don't think this would be the case.

So according to a random dude on a hair loss forum named shookwun, you will progressively lose hair while on finasteride. But, according to numerous doctors, dermatologists, and medical studies, you will most likely maintain or improve for > 10 years.
I leave it for you to decide who's most likely correct.

"Androgenetic Alopecia in young males is a psychosociological problem and the number of affected people is increasing. To date, this study represents the longest (over 10 years) reported uncontrolled study in men with MPHL. Our results underlined that finasteride 1 mg/day administration produced significant and durable increases in hair growth in men with Androgenetic Alopecia. Presumably, under the influence of finasteride, whose blood concentration is not going to be reduced over time, previously miniaturized scalp hairs continued to become longer, thicker, and more cosmetically significant during 10 years treatment because it is still working as a selective type, the II 5a-reductase inhibitor. Since miniaturization of scalp hairs in Androgenetic Alopecia develops over a period of many years, it is not surprising that reversal of this process may also take a number of years."

"Our results showed also that in contrast with what usually observed with other medications, finasteride efficacy is not going to be reduced over time."

"In conclusion, finasteride is a safe and effective treatment for controlling male pattern baldness with long-term daily use even in men over the age of 40 years. The satisfactory clinical results and the few side effects observed, led us to consider finasteride an effective treatment especially if taken in the early stages of Androgenetic Alopecia."

Plenty more out there like these.... but I'm just posting baloney, right @shookwun ?

 

[shookwun]

Finasteride will make your hair better, shouldn't it? after all it it's inhibiting the conversion of 70-75% DHT.


It doesn't stop the entire conversion, of which your hair over time will inevitably continue to thin depending on androgen sensitivity.


Are you dismissing the fact that finasteride doesn't stop complete conversion, and depending on receptor sensitivity that you will still continue to thin?


there are many people who take finasteride and see marginal benefit due to being overly sensitive to DHT within the scalp region. That isn't to say that most people wont benefit from the drug, but they will have varying outcomes. I am glad you found a random study to confirm your beliefs of it's effectiveness. I have similar experiences myself.


Sorry but inevitably you will continue to bald, and eventually be a cue ball one day. Our bodies change over time. It might be slow, or it could be fast all of a sudden.

 

[hanginginthewire]

Yeah, how I wish you were correct @jetlife1 - but we'd probably see way less bald men if propecia worked THAT well for most everyone. My ancedotal experience with propecia thus far is that it doesn't really do much. Unfortunately I did not catch my balding early because I am indeed a diffuser and just thought my hair was "thinning". I guess I wasn't really aware that diffuse thinning was a type of balding, so anyway I didn't start propecia until about 15 years into the (very slow) process. Maybe id feel different if I caught it earlier.

Also it always annoys me when studies say EITHER "halt or slow" your balding. Those are two very different things! If I knew my balding was HALTED I could make confident decisions about how to address the previously lost hair. If I'm still balding but at a slower rate I'm really just delaying the inevitable. Not at all the same position to be in...

 

[michel sapin]

i wish you were right too jetlife . I catch my balding really early, but propecia is just not enough for my sensitivity to DHT. Even if it inhibit about 85 % of 2-5 ar . However i am pretty sure that if a man jump on duta 0,5 mg per day, all his healthy hair will be saved . The terminal thick hair would remain, but form my point of view you have to be very lucky if a 5 ar inhibitor regrow or even thicken miniaturized hair . when the miniaturization processed began, the hair can't be saved

 

[Baldingat188]

Well this thread is depressing. I thought finasteride had a good chance to maintain

 

[jetlife1]

@Baldingat188 I believe it does and there is evidence, read my previous post! Those statements were from the longest professional finasteride medical study done by Dr. Rossi from Italy.

@shookwun if finasteride has already done well for you, why do you think you will end up bald one day? According to numerous studies, this is not the case.

 

[g.i joey]

Finasteride experiences vary from all extremes. Don't let a user dictate its response it has on you personally. One guy can maintain for 1 year on finasteride, while one doesn't at all. The next man can take it for 20 years and lose a minimal amount of hair.

Everyone's story is diff, the only reasonable thing you guys can do is try it on yourself.

And to anyone who doesn't believe in the side effects studies, STOP QUOTING OTHER ASPECTS OF THE STUDIES, you can't just pick and choose what you wanna take from the studies. Cause in that case we can all take .25 mg of propecia and go on with our lives. This is not the case

 

[jetlife1]

@g.i joey True that results vary from person to person. My experience is anecdotal as well as everyone else on this forum. However, if we are looking at the majority (around 90%) of users then they can expect maintenance or improvements for years. I only say years because the longest study is 10 years. In reality, the responders can probably expect maintenance or improvement indefinitely.

When it comes to side effects, I agree that they do occur in some. Personally, I don't have any. I'm not going to get into a debate over that though.

 

[hanginginthewire]

Anyone else with thoughts on difference between 5 and 6?

I don’t mean to be obtuse but I find this confusing.

 

[sunchyme1]

Anyone else with thoughts on difference between 5 and 6?

I don’t mean to be obtuse but I find this confusing.

to me nw6 is straight up bald. zero hair on top

nw5 has SOME hair on top. not much but some

nw7 is straight up disgusting to me. when those temple points drop, its an altogether level of ugliness

imo lol

 

[sunchyme1]

in terms of aesthetics i think a nw5 is far better off than a nw6 just because of that hair you do have on top to frame your head a little.

i think this is only a perspective guys get when they are heavily balding and can see that shiny dome coming for them

its makes a difference imo.

shiny dome is f*****g awful. having some hair spread out is a far superior look.

and like a said a nw7 is just ugly man. those high temple points, even on a heavily balding man does give SOME framing to your face. when they drop, so does your attractiveness

i dont know why, its just looks far far worse imo

its why ill never stop treatments. even if i can never recover to full head status again, i want to keep as much hair on top as possible. even if i plan to just buzz it

i can see my norwood 7 pattern coming for me and it gives me f*****g nightmares!

 

[hanginginthewire]

Thanks for your replies! Yeah Norwood is tragic. I

guess what confuses me is what is meant by hair on “top.” 5, 6, and 7 all seem to have no hair on top. So is the difference how far the crown dips down and if your sides drop? I just want to be a NW5 so I can have hope.