What the Norwood scale is, what its stages describe, which hair loss is not pattern baldness, and why treatment is a conversation with a doctor or dermatologist.
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Short answer
The Norwood scale (Norwood, 1975) describes male pattern hair loss in stages, from a full hairline to hair remaining only at the sides and back. It describes a pattern; it doesn’t diagnose the cause. Treatments exist that can slow loss and regrow some hair, but they are medicines with side effects and need to be continued, so the right next step is a doctor or dermatologist, not an app.
The stages, in plain words
A summary of the classification; your doctor may use the full version with its sub-types
Stage
What it looks like
1
No noticeable recession
2
Slight recession at the temples
3
Deeper temple recession; the first stage usually counted as baldness. A variant ("vertex") shows thinning at the crown
4
Further recession at the front and a thinning crown, still separated by a band of hair
5
The band between front and crown thins
6
The front and crown areas join
7
Hair remains in a horseshoe at the sides and back
Hair loss that isn’t the Norwood pattern
See a doctor promptly for sudden or patchy loss, loss with an itchy, painful or scaly scalp, loss after an illness or a new medicine, or loss alongside feeling unwell.
Patchy round bald spots, shedding all over, broken hairs and loss along the edges from tight styles are different conditions with different causes. Tight braids, buns and extensions can cause loss along the hairline; loosening them early matters.
Treatment is a medical conversation
The American Academy of Dermatology describes treatments for hereditary hair loss, including minoxidil and finasteride, that can slow loss and help some hair regrow, and notes that results take months and last only while treatment continues. Each has side effects and people it isn’t right for. That is why we don’t recommend a product: a doctor or dermatologist can confirm the cause and talk through the options with you.
Styling while you decide
Shorter cuts usually read better than length combed over a thinning area.
A textured crop or a buzz cut makes the contrast between thick and thin areas smaller.
A shaved head is a clean option at any stage.
Matte products add texture without the shine that shows the scalp.
How the app handles this
The app does not stage hair loss or recommend hair-loss medicines. Hair & grooming rates hair condition and how well-kept the style is; the plan’s hair cards are about cuts and care, and point to a doctor for anything medical.
Questions people ask
What Norwood stage am I?+
Compare your temples and crown with the table above, but a doctor or dermatologist can stage it properly and, more importantly, confirm the cause.
Can hair loss be reversed?+
Some treatments can slow pattern hair loss and regrow some hair while they are used. They are medicines with side effects, so talk to a doctor or dermatologist.
Does the app check for hair loss?+
No. It rates hair condition and how well-kept the style looks, and it never diagnoses anything.