Hair loss guides
Hair loss, explained: scales, stages and hairlines
Pattern hair loss is common, usually gradual and easy to misread in a single photo. These guides explain the scales specialists use, what each stage looks like and how to tell normal hairline changes from hair loss, in plain words and with their sources. None of them can diagnose anyone; if you are worried about your hair, see a dermatologist.
Check your own hairline
Take a front and a crown photo, or one photo of your part. The free check shows the two neighbouring stages your photos look closest to, with a confidence level. Photos are not stored.
Start the free checkThe two scales at a glance
The Norwood scale follows the pattern most common in men: the temples recede and the crown thins. The Ludwig scale follows the pattern most common in women: the top thins while the front hairline stays. Anyone can show either pattern.
Norwood
Norwood scale →Ludwig
Ludwig scale →Simplified drawings seen from above, with the front of the head at the top. Real heads vary, and many sit between two drawings.
Guides
- Norwood scaleThe Hamilton-Norwood scale in plain words: what each stage from I to VII looks like, how to tell Norwood 2 from 3, and why a photo gives a range.Read the guide
- Ludwig scaleThe three Ludwig grades of female-pattern thinning in plain words, how the Sinclair scale and the Christmas-tree pattern compare, and what a photo shows.Read the guide
- Mature vs receding hairlineA mature hairline rises a little and evenly in early adulthood, then settles; a receding one keeps moving. The signs that tell them apart, and how to check.Read the guide
- Widow's peak vs receding hairlineA widow's peak is a V-shaped point that many people have from youth; a receding hairline moves back at the temples over time. How to tell them apart.Read the guide
- Hairline shapesStraight, rounded, widow's peak, M-shaped or uneven: what each hairline shape looks like, how common it is, and why a shape alone does not mean hair loss.Read the guide
- Big forehead or receding hairlineA big forehead is a matter of proportion; a receding hairline is a change at the temples. How to tell them apart in a photo, and the traps that mislead.Read the guide
- Receding templesA small notch at each temple is common, and many corners deepen a little and then stop. Corners that keep moving back are early hair loss. What to watch.Read the guide
- Crown thinning or cowlickEveryone has a whorl at the crown where some scalp can show. How to tell a normal swirl from thinning at the vertex, and the light that fakes a bald spot.Read the guide
- How to photograph hair lossHair loss progress photos show real change only when every month matches: same light, distance and angle, dry unstyled hair, flash off. The routine.Read the guide
- Hair loss warning signsMost hair loss is gradual and not urgent. Sudden or patchy loss, a sore or scaly scalp, lost eyebrows, or loss after illness or childbirth are different.Read the guide
- Over-the-counter vs prescription optionsWhat you can buy without a prescription, what needs a doctor, and how strong the evidence is for each, from minoxidil to laser caps. A map with no doses.Read the guide
From our articles
Treatments, haircuts and photo tracking are covered in depth here.
Questions about hair loss stages
Which scale fits what I see?
The one that matches the pattern. If your temples are receding or your crown is thinning, the Norwood scale describes it; if your part is widening while the front hairline stays, the Ludwig scale does. Neither is limited to one sex.
Can these guides tell whether I am losing hair?
No. They explain what the scales describe and what to watch for. Only an examination can tell why hair is thinning, so if you are worried, or notice sudden, patchy or painful hair loss, see a dermatologist.
How often should I check my hairline?
Every one to three months is plenty. Hair grows about a centimetre a month and pattern changes take months to show, so consistent photos, with the same light, pose and hair length, matter more than frequent ones.
Why do the guides give no doses?
Because medicines and doses are decisions to make with a doctor who knows your health. The guide to over-the-counter and prescription options maps what is available and how strong the evidence is, without doses, and our articles go deeper into each option.