If I’m a Norwood 1 in My Late 20s, How Likely Is That to Be My Final Pattern?
Hello,
I am curious about something. I have read several of your blog entries where you write something like “if at this age somebody doesnt look like pattern X, fully advancing to pattern Y seems unlikely”. I would consider myself looking like Norwood 1, perhaps a bit from 2. I have to completely pull back my hair to notice a tiny hint of a corner recession, and I have had that since I was 17 (I am 29 now). Men from the mother’s side all have full hair, men from the father’s side tend to start balding. However, my father started to bald at something like 23, and never had hair as strong as mine. On top of that, I can still see a few (rather thick) hairs left from what used to be my juvenile hairline (which was really low).
Now, I know a definitive needs to be done with scalp mapping and bulk measurement, but statistically, with the hair status I have, how likely is it that my final pattern will be norwood 3 or higher?
At the age of 29, I can not tell you what is going to happen to you over the next 10 years. It’s possible the tiny bit of corner recession you see is actually just a matured hairline. Without photos, I have no way to know what you’re seeing. I don’t have a statistic to give you, but it is possible to remain a Norwood class 1 for years.
The best way to estimate what will happen to you is to look at your family pattern. If neither side has balding and you are presently a Norwood 1, then it would be likely that you will remain without any significant loss for years. But since your father’s side has some balding, you very well could have the genes. That said, I wouldn’t worry about unless you start to see some thinning.
Dr Rassman I think this question is a little more reasonable if you notice his age is actually 29 not 21 as you stated.
Typo. Fixed.
I was going to say at age 29 it would be just as likely a matured hairline.
This is tough when you have such vastly different family histories. With me my fathers side tended towards Norwood 6 (which my younger brother has) but my mothers side tended towards Norwood 3 (which I got). But that said I have uncles on both sides who kept all their hair. I’m guessing these relatives just lucked out on the genetic inheritance.
All my grandparents were bizarrely adopted so its incredibly difficult for me to go further back. But I tend to estimate that in my early 30s now the Norwood 3 is clearly my pattern (reversed to a Norwood 2 by propecia – for 4 years now).