So lets say somebody is a Norwood 3, clearly past the mature hairline stage at like 25 and doesnt take any medications, is that person very likely to end up a Norwood 6 or 7? Or do some people progress to say only a Norwood 3V and stop there? I have heard both "yes" and "no" to this question so I wanted to get some opinions.
Does Everyone Who Goes Past A Mature Hairline End Up Bald?
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You have heard different opinions because baldness is the result of different gene expressions. It is a chaotic process. No one knows how it is gonna effect a person as opposed to another.
I would say it is likely that NW3 at 25 generally ends up at NW6 before 40. But there will be exceptions.
Does the prognosis change if the person was Norwood 3 at 18 and remained stable until 30 without meds? Just using an example of a friend. I thought he would be bald by 25, but now that he is 30 and still the same as far as I can tell I cant see him being Norwood 6 by 40.
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If a person is NW3 at 18 and is still NW3 at 30, there are two only chances:
- he is very lucky
- he is taking finasteride and doesn't want to tell you.
People don't want to talk about the medication they take. They KNOW some will use this info to their own advantage...
About not being able to see people going bald ten years from now: you have no scientific way of knowing. A trichogram might help. But then again what it tells you now could be falsified in 24 months.
Well I had a similar experience although I'm not as "lucky". TBH I dont know when I was Norwood 3 but I know my mom made a comment about my receding hairline when I was either 16 or 17 and I was definitely Norwood 3 when I was like 19 at latest(I still remember that moment of sheer terror when I decided to pull my forelock back for some reason). I did propecia for a few months and quit because I couldnt afford it as a broke college student(this was before generics and my derm didnt want to give me proscar). Im 27 now and still Norwood 3. I was kinda hoping I would be like my friend. I dont think he is lying to me but who the hell knows. Im thinking about going on finasteride now that I can get generics but if I have been stable for so long without I dont know if it is worth it to risk the side effects. Its a gamble either way, either my hair or a normalish hormonal profile. Sucks.
Cosigning @Roberto_72 here — it's really impossible to say. You could stay a NW3 for the next twenty years and then be completely bald by 50.
Its all guessing. You could end up anywhere on the chart. Just look at close relatives and guess not much else you can do. I met a guy once that had no male pattern baldness at all in his family and was Norwood 7 at 40 something. Even family doesnt predict it exactly which is why using the big 3 right away is so important if you care.
Personally I think the earlier you start going bald the worse you will end up. I dont buy into mature hairlines to begin with its just balding under another term. Nothing gets better with age so once you start losing hair IMO it will never stop.
Moral of the story treat male pattern baldness the moment it starts versus waiting to see if it magically quits
Personally I think the earlier you start going bald the worse you will end up. I dont buy into mature hairlines to begin with its just balding under another term. Nothing gets better with age so once you start losing hair IMO it will never stop.
Moral of the story treat male pattern baldness the moment it starts versus waiting to see if it magically quits