LOOKSMETER · HAIR LOSS
Norwood 5: the stage, explained
Norwood 5 is a more advanced stage than NW4: both the frontal and crown regions have lost more hair, and the band that separated them is now narrower and visibly thinner. The two areas are still distinct, but only just.
What Norwood 5 looks like
The bald areas at the front and crown are larger than NW4, and the bridge of hair between them has narrowed and thinned so it no longer reads as a solid band. The remaining hair on top is sparser overall, and the horseshoe shape of the sides and back is starting to become the dominant outline.
Norwood 5 vs Norwood 4 and Norwood 6
Where NW5 sits:
vs Norwood 4
NW4 keeps a solid, reasonably dense separating band. NW5 is when that band has clearly narrowed and thinned - the front and crown are closer to merging.
vs Norwood 6
At NW6 the band is gone and the front and crown have merged into a single bald area. NW5 still has a distinct, if fragile, bridge between them.
What helps at Norwood 5
At Norwood 5 the pattern is extensive, so the useful conversations are usually with a dermatologist or a transplant surgeon about realistic options given the remaining donor hair - not with a scale. This page is information, not medical advice.
In styling terms, most people find that a very short cut or a clean shave reads far better and more confidently at NW5 than trying to keep length on top, and it removes the daily upkeep of managing a thin bridge of hair.
Frequently asked
What does Norwood 5 look like?
Large frontal and crown bald areas with a narrow, thinned band of hair still separating them, and the horseshoe of the sides and back becoming the main outline.
What is the difference between Norwood 5 and Norwood 6?
At NW5 a thin band of hair still bridges the front and crown. At NW6 that band is gone and the two areas have merged into one continuous bald region across the top.
Can you still get a hair transplant at Norwood 5?
Often yes, but it depends heavily on how much donor hair remains and what coverage is realistic - a specialist assessment is the only way to answer it for a given person, not a stage number.
Other Norwood stages
Norwood 2
The mature adult hairline - normal, not balding.
Norwood 3
The first stage classified as balding - bare, M-shaped temples.
Norwood 4
Deeper frontal loss plus a crown that's now clearly affected.
Norwood 6
Front and crown merged into a single bald area.
Norwood 7
The final stage - only the horseshoe of hair remains.
The full Norwood scale
All 7 stages, side by side.
This page is general information about facial aesthetics terminology, not medical or cosmetic advice. Scores from our tools are AI-generated estimates for entertainment and self-reflection.