Some Unanswered Questions

[notgoing2gobald]

I know these questions are kind of tedious and hair geeky, but Im unclear on some of these issues. I would also like to know what I should reasonably expect and Im still unclear as to how they "divide" up the head into thirds and that stuff.

 

1. Is a NW5 a more advanced stage of loss than a NW5a?

It appears to me that a NW5 has more loss in the crown, correct?

 

2. When the head is measured and divided up into "thirds," as is commonly done, and the patient is a NW5 (with a bald crown) then does the crown make up an entire "third"?

 

I've never been quite clear on this. Like when they say "this patient had his front third dense packed". If that patient didn't have any crown loss, then are they in this case dividing up the top of the scalp ONLY into thirds?

 

 

3. I believe I currently do not have loss in the crown, although it is hard for me to be certain because Im basing this off feeling the back of my head with my fingers and it's kind of difficult for me to tell exactly which area is the crown and how big it is on my own head. Anyway, when I go in for a consult will they be able to inspect this area and measure the hair there for signs of miniturazation? If so and there are no signs of miniturization, then given my age (28) is it reasonable to not expect any loss there?

[notgoing2gobald]

I know these questions are kind of tedious and hair geeky, but Im unclear on some of these issues. I would also like to know what I should reasonably expect and Im still unclear as to how they "divide" up the head into thirds and that stuff.

 

1. Is a NW5 a more advanced stage of loss than a NW5a?

It appears to me that a NW5 has more loss in the crown, correct?

 

2. When the head is measured and divided up into "thirds," as is commonly done, and the patient is a NW5 (with a bald crown) then does the crown make up an entire "third"?

 

I've never been quite clear on this. Like when they say "this patient had his front third dense packed". If that patient didn't have any crown loss, then are they in this case dividing up the top of the scalp ONLY into thirds?

 

 

3. I believe I currently do not have loss in the crown, although it is hard for me to be certain because Im basing this off feeling the back of my head with my fingers and it's kind of difficult for me to tell exactly which area is the crown and how big it is on my own head. Anyway, when I go in for a consult will they be able to inspect this area and measure the hair there for signs of miniturazation? If so and there are no signs of miniturization, then given my age (28) is it reasonable to not expect any loss there?

[Bill - Seemiller]

nogtgoing2gobald,

 

Here is a chart and some detailed information about the norwood scale of hair loss.

 

Depending on the level of loss around the crown and the remainder of your head, the balding crown may certainly be 1/3rd if not more of the balding area. But again, this is going to depend on the individual.

 

Remember, the norwood scale can be used as a guide, but even amongst the classifications, there are variations and some have more balding in some areas than others. For me, when I was a NW5A, my crown took up just about 1/2 of my balding areas.

 

The front third of the scalp is the front third of the scalp. It is not taking the balding area and dividing it into thirds.

 

A hair restoration physician with magnification will be able to determine whether or not there is any miniaturization in the crown. It cannot be predicted however, with any degree of certainty whether or not you will not lose hair in the crown area eventually.

 

Remember, hair loss is unpredictable and progressive.

 

Bill

[notgoing2gobald]

Bill,

 

..."the front third of the scalp is the front third of the scalp. It is not taking the balding area and dividing it into thirds".

 

Definition:

"scalp": the skin and underlying tissues covering the DOME of the skull (caps added for dramatic effect)".

 

 

Im not attempting to be a smart ass here (as I know I often am and hope it doesn't bite me in the ass-grins). I am seriously confused regarding these terms that I feel are being equivocated...

 

Im wondering if were on the same page here? Example:

 

Patient (i) NW7

Patient (ii) NW3

 

description on ht blog of BOTH patients:..."patient had 3K grafts packed into the front third of their "SCALP"..."

 

...now, what am I to conclude by this? I don't get it... does the "scalp" refer to the area which was balding? or does it refer to "the skin and underlying tissues covering the dome of the skull"?...

 

Im really not trying to be either a smart ass or a pain in the ass*BUT* Im trying to get a grip on how to compare myself to different patients in the photo galleries, so I can get a realistic grip on my own expectations as to what to achieve from a ht...

 

does this make sense to anybody?

 

 

Also, yes I have seen the NW scale and I know there can be variations as hair loss is case specific*BUT* my simple question is this:

 

is a NW5 a more advanced stage of hair loss than a NW5a? To me, it appears that it is. It just seemed counter intuitive to me because I thought it was charted progressively (i.e. 5, 5a,...)...and you mentioned that when you were a NW5a that your crown constituted almost HALF of your entire balding area. Based on the chart, I thought a NW5a did not have much loss in the crown at all, if ANY? Am I confused (in ALL sincerity, not being a smart ass)?...let me know..

 

NOTE: I JUST RE-READ MY INITTIAL POST OF QUESTIONS AND IT DID APPEAR TO BE SOMEWHAT AMBIGOUS, SO I HOPE THIS LAST ONE IS MORE CLEAR...MY BAD...

 

 

By the way, if Im off in ANY respect, then give me a good kick in the ass..."heynotgoing...your a fu$$ing dip sh$t, FU$% YOU! GO suck your own $$$$..." if not, then you can:------" Id like to know either way....

[Bill - Seemiller]

ng2gb,

 

I am pretty sure I understand your confusion so I'll try to answer again.

 

If you draw two lines on the top of the head (whether there is hair or not on top) into 3 evenly divided parts - the frontal third refers to the area of the hairline back to the where the first drawn line occurs.

 

Whether a hair loss sufferer is a norwood 3 or a norwood 7, if the hair transplant patient receives transplanted hair in the frontal third, it's the same area. A Norwood 7 receiving transplanted hair in the frontal third would leave the back 2/3rds completely bald. a norwood 3 receiving transplanted in the frontal third would most likely leave the patient with no bald spots.

 

Make sense?

 

Bill

[notgoing2gobald]

Bill,

 

 

..."if you draw two lines on the TOP of the head"...

 

 

1. is the crown considered the top of the head?

2. if not then when were talking about anyone with loss in the crown, then none of the "thirds" reffers to this?

 

 

check out this rather fantastic hyperlink NN sent me: http://www.shapiromedical.com/smg/SMG_edu_pg_06.pdf

 

thanks NN. Here, it says the crown alone makes up HALF of the balding area..I would then assume that having the front "one third" filled in would be meaning half of the "top" of your head. No?...

[Bill - Seemiller]

I consider the crown part of the top of the head.

 

There is an area below the crown.

 

Keep in mind "thirds" is only a rough estimate, but ultimately, the frontal "third" refers to the front part of the head whether there is hair there or not.

 

Bill