does wet hair play into your norwood scale?

[tisab]

Introduction

 

well basically i try never to look at my hair in the mirror when i come straight out the shower(hair is wet)

 

but yesterday my curiosity was killing me and to my surprise my hair was not good wet

 

it looks like im a diffuse thinner when my hair is wet, which isint good for me cause my hair is long and dark so id figure id get more coverage if my hair was wet.

 

so my question to you guys is when labeling yourself on a norwood scale, does wet hair have a role in it?

for example like my hair dry i wuould label probably label myself around the norwood 2 region

but when my hair is wet its not a norwood 2, iono where im going with this

 

im probobly asking this because i just want to evaluate myself in the best way possible when planning my future HT's

 

 

also my question is those who are highy resistent to DHT, those without MPB, do they have the same characteristics of us with wet hair on top? or do they look like a mop on top of thier head?

 

i would like to show pics but im having problems with my camera

 

thanks for the help

[Gorpy]

That's a good question. I think when it comes to the NW scale, you generally use the dry hair visible balding to judge. However, seeing a thinning pattern when you hair is wet is an indication of where you are headed - unless of course the drugs work to halt your hair loss.

[MrJobi]

Hi

 

It's dry hair with the pattern of thinning that determines the Norwood. This is just a benchmark when determining grafts needed. Everyone is slightly different

[Bill - Seemiller]

tisab,

 

Good questions.

 

IMO, the norwood scale is the norwood scale regardless of whether your hair is wet or dry. What basically happens is this:

 

Your hair loss is the same whether your hair is wet or dry...but when your hair is wet, your hair clumps together more which will tend to reveal the thinner areas more than if your hair was dry. When your hair is dry and brushed especially, your hair is separated, creating more of an "illusion" of fullness, which is one of the reasons HTs work so well. Most HTs look better dry than wet...simply because of the clumping factor.

 

Though it's nice to be able to evaluate yourself on the norwood scale, I think what's MORE important is...if you are seeing loss, and you want to slow down or stop the loss, it's time to consider your options. The first plan of attack with miminal loss should ALWAYS be medication. Finasteride and/or minoxodil are the only ones that have FDA approval for safety and effectiveness when combatting hair loss.

 

Feel free to post pictures of your wet and dry hair if you want help with classification though.

 

Bill