The Norwood Scale: Hair Loss Treatments For Every Stage

The Norwood Scale is a common system that classifies male pattern baldness hair loss into several groups. This classification system was the original criterion of James Hamilton in the 1950s. Later modified by O’Tar Norwood in the 1970s, the scale adopted the name of the latter. But is oftentimes referred to as the Hamilton-Norwood scale. Although isn’t a reliable measure, the Norwood scale is endorsed as the standard hair loss classification system. This system classifies male pattern baldness 7 distinct categories.

What Are The Benefits Of The Norwood Scale?

The Norwood scale classifies male pattern hair loss into 7 categories. Through this, it simplifies communication between you and doctors. Likewise, it helps you understand your hair loss condition and treatments. This is because every hair loss stage has a different treatment plan. For example, what works for stage 1 Norwood may not work for stage 5 Norwood. Every person experiences male pattern baldness differently. For this reason, it is difficult to provide an accurate classification. But the Norwood Scale can offer a general categorization.

The 7 Classes Of Hair Loss On The Norwood Scale

• CLASS I – CLASS III (Norwood scale 1, 2, 3):
  The first three classifications of hair loss in the Norwood scale resemble male pattern with ONLY a receding hairline. Class I Norwood has the least receding pattern. Whereas class 3 Norwood has the most significant receding hairline. This group usually has normal hair growth in other areas of the head.

• CLASS III VERTEX: Class III vortex Norwood is where hair loss begins to appear in other areas of the head. In addition to a receding hairline, in this stage hair loss appears in the vortex or the crown.
• CLASS IV – CLASS V (Norwood Scale 4, 5): Classes IV and V both have hair loss in the vortex and a receding hairline. But the Norwood stage 5 has more areas of hair loss.
• CLASS VI-VII (Norwood 6, 7): Classes VI and VII are characterized by advanced hair loss and a hairline that recedes beyond the crown.

How To Treat Male Pattern Baldness

Once hair follicles miniaturize, this change is forever. And no natural remedy can treat this. The most effective and long-lasting treatment for male pattern baldness is hair transplant. Which is a technique that doesn’t revive hair follicles but instead replaces them. The hair in the back of the scalp is a good source of grafts. And hair transplants use it to extract healthy hair follicles to implant them in bald areas.

How Transplantation Of Follicular Units Happens?

There are initially two rudiments techniques for extracting follicular units: the FUE and the FUT.

FUE

• The follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique is the most recent of the two on the hair transplant innovation timeline
• To remove follicular units, FUE utilizes an incision punch that is 0.8 mm in thickness to isolate the hair follicle from the remaining scalp
• A tweezer extracts the grafts one by one
• The grafts remain Hypothermosol solution to preserve their viability
• In the meantime, your doctor opens channels on the recipient site via small edged blades
• Finally comes the implantation of follicular units in the incisions

FUT

• Follicular unit transplants cut a linear-shaped strip of skin from the scalp
• Your doctor then sutures the wounds
• Nurses dissect the strip of skin under a microscope to obtain individual grafts
• The grafts remain in a Hypothermosol solution
• Doctors begin to open channels on the recipient site via sharp-edged blades
• Then comes the careful implantation of grafts in the channels

Disadvantages Of FUT

• The extraction technique causes nerve damage in the area that could either be temporary or permanent.
• The wound heals into a visible scar that interferes with the patient’s choice of styles.

Does The Extracted Hair Grow Back In Hair Transplants?

Once your doctor extracts follicular units, they do not grow back. So, to reverse the pattern of your baldness, patients need to have a sufficient supply of donor hair. Wherein it will cover your bald scalp without creating bald patches in the donor site. Typically, the lower the classification of hair loss on the Norwood scale is, the higher the chances of receiving a better makeover. Typically, the lower the classification of hair loss on the Norwood scale is, the higher the chances of receiving a better makeover.

What Can I Do To increase The Density Of My Hair Growth After Hair Transplants?

Here’s an unknown fact, only 70% of the transplanted follicular units are projected to survive. The cause? When translocating the follicular units, their primary source of blood and by extension nutrition is cut. It takes up to four days for the hair follicles to reconnect to a direct blood supply. The adverse climes of limited oxygen can be destructive to an estimate of 30% of the transplanted follicular units. Which is a large amountespecially for those with sparse donor areas. Opting for the OxyCure therapy helps with this point. The treatment saves up to 99% of the grafts by giving the cells enough oxygen until they make their own blood sources.

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