Independent · not affiliated with any clinic Sources cited · Updated 2026-07
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The Norwood scale, explained stage by stage

The GraftCost Research Desk Independent · not a clinic Updated 2026-07-12

The Norwood scale is the map everyone uses to talk about hair loss, and knowing your stage is the first step to an honest graft count and cost. Here is every stage, how to find yours, and what it means for a transplant.

What the Norwood scale is

The Norwood scale (formally the Hamilton-Norwood scale) is the standard classification of male pattern baldness. It grades hair loss in seven stages, from stage 1, a full head with no visible recession, to stage 7, where only a horseshoe band remains around the sides and back. Surgeons use it to describe how far your loss has progressed and to plan the number and placement of grafts. It is descriptive, not a diagnosis of why you are losing hair, which still needs a doctor.

The stages, one by one

  • Norwood 1: no significant loss. A normal, full hairline.
  • Norwood 2: slight recession at the temples. Often not yet "balding", more a maturing hairline.
  • Norwood 3: the first clearly balding stage, with deeper temple recession forming an M shape. Norwood 3 Vertex adds early thinning at the crown.
  • Norwood 4: more recession plus a distinct thinning or bald spot at the crown, with a band of hair still separating the two.
  • Norwood 5: larger bald areas at both the front and crown; the bridge of hair between them narrows.
  • Norwood 6: the front and crown bald areas merge; the bridge is essentially gone.
  • Norwood 7: the most advanced stage. Only a horseshoe band of hair remains around the sides and back, which is also the donor area.

How to find your stage

Check two zones in good light: your hairline (how far it has receded at the temples) and your crown (any thinning at the back top of the head). Recession alone points to stages 2-3; recession plus crown loss to stage 4; both areas large with a shrinking bridge to stages 5-6; and only a side-and-back band to stage 7. A surgeon confirms it in person and, importantly, assesses whether your loss is still progressing, which affects planning.

Grafts and cost by Norwood stage

Your stage is the single biggest driver of both the graft count and the price. The higher the stage, the more grafts, and the more the finite donor supply is stretched.

StageTypical grafts🇹🇷 Turkey🇺🇸 USA
NW2Slight hairline recession at the temples
1,300
$1,700
$9,100
NW3Deeper temple recession (the first "balding" stage)
2,200
$2,850
$15,400
NW4Recession plus a thinning crown
3,500
$4,550
$24,500
NW5Larger bald areas, narrowing bridge between front and crown
4,200
$5,450
$29,400
NW6Front and crown merge; the bridge is gone
6,000
$7,800
$42,000
NW7Only a band of hair around the sides and back remains
7,000
$9,100
$49,000
Typical all-in cost by Norwood stage, from our estimator data (Turkey ~$1.3/graft, USA ~$7/graft). Ranges, not quotes. Run your exact case →

These are typical ranges, not quotes. Turn your stage into a realistic all-in figure by country and technique with our cost estimator, and see the detail behind the numbers in how many grafts you need.

Advanced stages have a limit. Norwood 6 and 7 can need more grafts than a donor area can safely provide for full coverage, which is why surgeons often rebuild the front and hairline first, where each graft shows most, and manage expectations about the crown. Your donor supply, roughly 6,000-8,000 grafts for life, does not regenerate once moved.

Norwood stage and choosing a clinic

Whatever your stage, the result depends on who plans and performs the surgery. A good surgeon reads your stage, protects your donor area, and gives an honest graft count rather than the highest one. Our verified directory shows each clinic's named surgeon and hair-mill risk, and red flags and how to read a quote covers the graft-count inflation to watch for.

The bottom line: the Norwood scale grades male pattern baldness from 2 (early temple recession) to 7 (a side-and-back band only). Your stage sets your graft count, your cost, and whether full coverage is even realistic. Find your stage, then get an honest number, not the biggest one.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Norwood scale?
The Norwood scale (also called the Hamilton-Norwood scale) is the standard medical classification of male pattern baldness. It runs from stage 1 (no visible loss) to stage 7 (only a band of hair around the sides and back), and it is how surgeons describe how far hair loss has progressed and plan a hair transplant.
What Norwood stage am I?
Look at two things in a mirror: your hairline and your crown. Slight temple recession is Norwood 2; a deeper receding hairline is Norwood 3; recession plus a thinning crown is Norwood 4; large bald areas front and crown with a narrowing bridge between them is Norwood 5-6; and only a horseshoe band of hair left is Norwood 7. A surgeon confirms your stage in person.
How many grafts do I need for my Norwood stage?
Roughly: Norwood 2 needs about 800-2,400 grafts, Norwood 3 around 1,500-3,000, Norwood 4 about 3,000-4,000, Norwood 5 around 3,500-5,000, Norwood 6 about 5,000-7,000, and Norwood 7 around 6,000-8,000+, which can exceed what the donor area safely supplies.
Can you get a hair transplant at any Norwood stage?
Most stages can be treated, but candidacy depends on your donor supply, not just the stage. Advanced stages (6-7) may not have enough donor hair for full coverage, so surgeons often prioritise the front. Very early loss (Norwood 2) is sometimes better managed with medication first while the pattern stabilises.

Keep reading

How many grafts you need What a hair transplant costs What 3,000-4,000 grafts cover

All cost figures are market estimates, not quotes, and pricing varies by clinic and individual case. GraftCost is independent and not affiliated with any clinic. This is general information, not medical advice; consult a qualified hair-restoration physician before making decisions.