Hair loss or Alopecia is an extremely common concern of dermatologists worldwide today. It could be caused due to various factors including genetic, medical conditions, hormonal changes, poor hair hygiene habits, nutritional deficiencies, some medications, aging, or environmental factors. It can be alarming and distressful and result in lowering one’s self-esteem and self-confidence.

Among different kinds of hair loss, the cases of pattern baldness in men are found in great numbers. Male pattern baldness is caused by the shrinkage of hair follicles and the subsequent falling out of hairs attached to them due to the Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone. This blog highlights the male pattern baldness, Norwood scale, and the treatment of Norwood pattern baldness by FUE hair transplant, with the insights shared by the expert hair transplant doctor at Dadu Medical Centre, which is known to provide best and successful Hair Transplant in Delhi.

What is Norwood Pattern Baldness? 

Norwood pattern baldness simply refers to the Male pattern baldness whose extent can be detected on a scale of 1 to 7 by the leading classification system called the Norwood Scale. The Hamilton-Norwood scale is designed to measure and categorize the different stages of male pattern baldness ranging from a little or no receding hairline to total baldness. The lowest numbers on the scale represent the earliest stages of hair thinning while the higher numbers show the advancing of hair loss. It helps hair experts in the discovery of the most suitable treatment or surgery that the patient would need.

Here are the 7 stages of Norwood’s pattern baldness as it progresses from one to another-

· Type 1- There is little to no receding hairline and the head is full of hair. Some men start losing hair from the hairline after their 20s while others may maintain this hair pattern for their lifetime. They do not require treatment at this stage.

· Type 2- Men start to show a slight recession of the hairline near their temples and sideburns, thereby resulting in the appearance of early signs of an M, V, or U-shaped hairline. At this stage of hair loss, men can consider having hair loss medications like finasteride and minoxidil as their treatment.

· Type 3- At this stage, there is visible, obvious hair loss at the temples and frontal scalp portion, and a clear M or V-shaped hairline appears. Treatment options include both hair loss medications and hair transplantation.

· Type 4- It is a more obvious and severe type of hair loss with no hair on top of the head or vertex of the scalp.

· Type 5- By this stage, an obvious, significant hair loss can be seen around the hairline and crown. The band of hair that separates the crown from the hairline gets smaller and thinner. This is also known as the classic horse-shoe pattern of hair loss.

· Type 6- It is a very severe type of hair loss wherein there is a sparse or very thin band of hair left to separate the hairline, vertex scalp, or crown. The classic horseshoe pattern of hair loss can be easily seen on the back or sides of the head.

· Type 7- It is the most severe type of hair loss where there is complete scalp baldness aside from a few stray hairs or small sections of the scalp with relatively mild hair growth. A hair transplant can help in providing some coverage of baldness, but appealing results are unlikely due to insufficient donor hair.

How does FUE Hair Transplant Help Treat the Norwood Scale of Hair Loss? 

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is the advanced, relatively less-invasive hair transplant technique that can help restore hair in areas where it has already been lost. This treatment option is only recommended for men who are aged above 25 years and have sufficient healthy and usable donor hair follicles. It does not involve the making of cuts and use of stitches, so it is associated with minimal recovery time and has no or minimal scarring. The surgery is done under local anesthesia using the finest instruments by an expert surgeon at best hair transplant clinic in Delhi, Dadu Medical Centre, while having the advanced required skills and expertise to deliver best outcomes.

Procedure 

· On the numb scalp, the surgeon first demarks the site to be used as donor and recipient.

· Next, the surgeon uses a micro-punch tool to create punch incisions around the donor hair follicles. It is done to extract hair follicle units one by one with great precision. Every hair graft will possess around 3-5 hair strands.

· Then, the surgeon does a quick turnaround and all the harvested hair follicles are immediately implanted or transplanted one by one in the recipient site, one graft each into every tiny hole that is created before transplantation. The hair grafts are implanted in a direction that matches the patient's hair growth and as the selected hair follicles are strongest and healthiest, the treated area will look natural and dense-filled with hair.

If one is interested to know more about hair transplants and other hair loss control procedures, they can consult the best Hair and Skin Doctor in Delhi at Dadu Medical Centre.