Hair loss is a common problem that affects men and women. Often hereditary, hair loss is marked by the gradual recession of hair from the scalp and other parts of the body. In order to figure out when and if treatment is necessary, you must be able to properly measure the level of your hair loss.
Measuring Male Pattern Baldness
1. Learn about the Norwood/Hamilton Scale.
The Norwood/Hamilton scale is the accepted scale for assessing male pattern baldness, first introduced by Dr. James Hamilton in the 1950s.
- If you suffer from male pattern baldness, being able to identify your level of hair loss as falling somewhere in one of the 7 stages identified by the Norwood/Hamilton scale can help a doctor determine how the best treatment method.
- There will be times when you have to explain your level of hair loss over the phone to a doctor or physician. Being able to point to a stage on the Norwood/Hamilton Scale will be helpful.
- The Norwood/Hamilton Scale also protects against misdiagnosis. You can make sure your hair loss is following the pattern of male baldness and not merely the result of aging.
2. Figure out which of the 7 stages you fall into
There are 7 stages of the Norwood/Hamilton Scale used to assess male pattern baldness. Figure out which of the 7 stages best reflects your hair loss.
- Stage 1, which sometimes goes unnoticed, is marked by a very minor recession of the hairline and does not require treatment. Unless you have a family history of baldness, you do not need to worry about Stage 1.
- Stage 2 is marked by a triangular recession of the hair lining the frontal temporal areas. The hair around your ears will also recede by several centimeters. Baldness becomes more apparent in this stage.
- Stage 3 is the lowest level of hair loss needed for a person to be considered bald. Temples will be bare, only covered by sparse hair, and the hair towards the front of the head will begin to form a crown. Stage 4 is marked by these symptoms becoming more severe, and hair further thinning and receding around the temples and the front of the head.
- In Stage 5, the band of hair that extends across the crown thins. Hair loss around the temples and the ears become larger and more noticeable. This continues into Stage 6, when the bridge of hair across the crown is totally lost.
- Stage 7 is the most advanced form of hair loss. There is only a narrow band of horseshoe shaped hair on the sides of the head and the back of the scalp. There may be some hair, forming a semi-circle, over both ears.
3. Seek treatment before reaching Stage 7
Once you've reached Stage 7, hair loss becomes very difficult to treat. If you want to combat male pattern baldness, seek out the advice of a doctor and physician to figure out how to best treat your hair loss before you reach Stage 7.
Measuring Female Pattern Baldness
1. Be aware of the limitations of the Ludwig Scale
The Ludwig Scale is a scale for measuring the progression of hair loss in females. While it can be a useful tool for assessing and explaining your level of hair loss, it has some limitations.
Measuring Female Pattern Baldness
1. Be aware of the limitations of the Ludwig Scale
The Ludwig Scale is a scale for measuring the progression of hair loss in females. While it can be a useful tool for assessing and explaining your level of hair loss, it has some limitations.
- The Ludwig Scale was made to address female baldness as the patterns of balding in females are often different than in males. Baldness is more a progressive thinning of hair in females. However, sometimes women's hair thins and recedes similar to men's hair, so the Ludwig Scale might not work.
2. Figure out which the of the 3 types of hair loss you fall into
There are three types of baldness outlined by the Ludwig Scale.
- Type I is marked by hair receding and thinning on the top of the head. It may be hard to notice at this stage, but you may notice a bigger white patch than usual when you part your hair. The frontal hairline usually does not recede at this stage.
- Type II is marked by thinning, shedding, and a general decrease in volume of the hair overall. Your center part will also continue to widen. Treatment may be necessary at this stage of hair loss.
- Type III is the most extreme type of female hair loss. Hair is so thin it may not cover the scalp and will be noticeable to most people. Hair will also continue to thin and lose moisture.
3. Recognize the signs of advanced and frontal baldness
Female hair loss is not confined to the Ludwig Scale. It can also be frontal and advanced.
- Advanced baldness is rarely seen in patients, but it's marked by almost no hair being present on the crown or the top of the head.
- Some women experience a gradual receding of the hairline, much the same way as baldness occurs in male patients. If this is the case for you, ask a physician if you should use the Norwood/Hamilton Scale instead to measure your hair loss.
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