What the Norwood scale is
The Norwood scale describes male pattern hair loss in seven stages. It helps you and your doctor talk about the same thing, but the graft count also depends on your donor hair and the density you want.
- Norwood 1
- No noticeable recession of the hairline.
- Norwood 2
- Slight recession at the temples.
- Norwood 3
- Deeper temple recession: the first stage usually counted as clinical hair loss. Norwood 3V adds thinning at the crown.
- Norwood 4
- Clear loss at the front and crown, separated by a band of hair.
- Norwood 5
- Larger front and crown areas, with the band between them thinning.
- Norwood 6
- The band is gone, so the front and crown form one area.
- Norwood 7
- Only a horseshoe of hair remains at the sides and back.
The Ludwig scale for women
Women usually keep their front hairline and lose density on top instead. The Ludwig scale describes that thinning in three stages.
- Ludwig I
- Mild thinning along the parting.
- Ludwig II
- A wider parting, with the scalp visible on top.
- Ludwig III
- Diffuse thinning across most of the top of the head.
- Christmas-tree pattern
- Thinning that spreads from the front towards the back, widest near the front of the parting.
Read more about hair thinning treatment for women.
From stage to plan
Your stage is a starting point. At HASCI, India's first HST clinic, a doctor also looks at your donor area, hair type and history before giving a graft number and an itemised quote. See what decides the cost of a hair transplant in Hyderabad.
Questions people ask
How many grafts do I need for a hair transplant?+
It depends on your stage, the area to cover and how much donor hair you have. As a guide, a hairline refinement may need around 1,500 grafts and advanced baldness 4,000 or more. A doctor confirms your number after reviewing photos or examining your scalp.
What is the Norwood scale?+
The Norwood scale describes male pattern hair loss in seven stages, from no recession (stage 1) to a horseshoe of hair at the sides and back (stage 7). Doctors use it to describe and plan treatment.
Is the graft estimate on WhatsApp free?+
Yes. Send your result with photos of the front, top, crown and both sides, and a HASCI doctor replies with an estimate. There is no obligation.
Do women use the Norwood scale?+
Women’s hair loss usually shows as thinning rather than a receding hairline, so doctors use the Ludwig scale or describe the pattern, such as front-to-back thinning.
*Individual results may vary. This tool gives general information, not a diagnosis.