Is this a solid NW3?

[wilks1986]

Hi all.
Just trying to work out where I fall on the scale. As you can see my corners (temples) have receded a good inch or so (you can almost see my original hairline where the skin is paler). This has taken place slowly over the last three or four years. As you can see, the rest of my hair is still fairly decent, with no apparent bald spots (yet). Is it safe to assume this is a solid NW3?

I'll be 29 next April.

Thanks in advance.

Hair combed up (true hairline):



Worst side (hairline use to come down to that weird birth mark thing):



When styled:

 

[Wolf Pack]

Yes imo. But I am not too great at Norwood spotting. Be careful with combovers, sometimes best to cut short with some coverage or just short spikes up. It can often look worse from the front with long hair dragged down. Seen it in a few of my friends pictures.

 

[Raz]

Seems like a textbook NW3 to me. Looks good when styled, at the moment.

 

[Notcoolanymore]

Very solid NW3. I am impressed with the way you style it, looks good. Could you post a frontal picture of your hair? I am curious what it looks like from the front. This may be an option for me if I let my hair grow out.

 

[jksl]

That is NW3. Lucky you're not NW3a. Are you on any med?

 

[Notcoolanymore]

NW3a sucks, NW3v(which I am) is no picnic either.

 

[wilks1986]

Thanks for the input guys - pretty much confirmed what I thought.

I'm not currently on any meds, but have been thinking about it and doing a little research. It's strange, my right temple receded up to a NW3 way before my left did, which hovered around a 2 for ages. I've been keeping a careful eye on things for the last few months and it seems like it may have slowed right down again, almost as if it's locking in to a NW3 position (can that even happen??). I know once the corners are gone they're pretty much gone for good (apart from a lucky few) which is why I've been debating whether its actually worth trying medication. I know finasteride does very little for the hairline? My thinking is that if I keep a real close eye on the top and if it starts to show early signs of thinning/bald spot then will be the time to get on something. As it stands at the moment the coverage elsewhere is still decent. I dunno. Anyone else receded to a NW3 and remained there for several years? I know there are an infinite number of variables when it comes to male pattern baldness, but I read that if you're likely to go completely bald you'll have probably experienced a significant amount of hair loss by the age of 30 - much truth to that? I have a friend who is pretty much a NW6/7, full on horse shoe appearing, and he's been that way since early twenties.

Picture from front below. Not great I'm afraid but you get the idea. Hair had a lot of product in it that day and was freshly cut, hence the volume doesn't look great. Its obvious for all to see that the corners have receded, and its pretty much impossible to fully hide that unless I grow my hair crazy long, but because its happened so slowly I guess I've been able to adjust and get used to it over the past few years. Don't get me wrong, it still gets me down though. I almost wish (and this sounds terrible) that the front forelock would perhaps recede back about half an inch. This would make my forehead appear a little bigger, but then the 'peak' wouldnt appear so pronounced. Is that a bad thing to be hoping for?? I swear the middle of the forelock is still is low as it was at the age of 16!

A crazy ol' business, this hair-loss lark.

Thanks again.