Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by Robert Price

Norwood 2 Clearly Shows Recession, But Is It Balding?

Some experts say yes, others say no.

Dr.’s William Rassman and Robert Bernstein, authors of “Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies,” both loosely regard the Norwood 2 classification as a “mature” hairline, not male pattern baldness. (1, 2).

On the Bosley website, they list Norwood 2 as the, “beginning of a receding hairline” i.e. balding (3).

The Belgravia Centre of England defines Norwood 2 as “insignificant hair loss at the temples” (so most likely, a mature hairline) and Norwood 3 as “the first stage that requires treatment” (4).

The American Hair Los Association, one of the top hair loss consumer-advocacy organizations in the world, includes Norwood 2 in their hair loss classification page, and not Norwood 1, so I’m assuming they contend that Norwood 2 is indeed a type of “balding” (5).

O’Tar Norwood, the genius behind the Norwood scale, stated in his seminal 1975 article that while Norwood 2 indicated recession, Norwood 3 was the first class “sufficient to represent baldness” (6).

In my in-depth post on the mature hairline, I offer my take on the subject, technical parameters, and more.

Some Doctors Even Claim NW 1 is Balding!

And those doctors are wrong, in my opinion, but they’re certainly out there (7). As I point out in my Norwood scale post, you’re rarely going to see an adult age 25 or older with a Norwood 0, Ross-from-Friends hairline. So, if Norwood 1 is balding, then we’re all balding (for the most part). That’s probably why so many hair loss products (most of which are scams, by the way) also list Norwood 1 and 2 as forms of male pattern baldness.

In this post I’ll cover all your questions about the Norwood 2 hairline, such as:

• Is Norwood 2 a precursor to baldness?
• Does it need to be treated?
• What does it look like?
• Is hair transplantation an option?
• What are some common variations of the hairline?
• And more.

To begin, let’s take a look at a few real-world examples of the Norwood 2 hairline…

2 Norwood 2 Case Studies

I’ll make these short and informative, hopefully.

A. John Hamm

Jon Hamm is someone who I’d say has a “classic” mature hairline. If you were to get an aerial shot of the said hairline, I’m fairly sure he’d be much closer to a Norwood 2 than a 1, but still perhaps not quite a 2. And from the side, he looks like a textbook Norwood 2.

B. Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert is another good case study. He’s a prototypical Norwood 2 with no “balding” going on in the classic sense. Is it a mature hairline? I’d say it is, just a bit more receded than average. Some would disagree. I included Colbert in my 10 Celebrities with Mature Hairlines post if you’re interested.

Is There Such a Thing as Norwood 1.5?

I’ve seen the Norwood 1.5 threads on the hair loss forums, too. Is it actually a hair loss classification, though? Not necessarily, but maybe it should be.

I think many men with mature hairlines aren’t quite as receded as the Norwood 2 figure on the classic chart. I’d include myself among those men. But they’re much closer to Norwood 2 than Norwood 1, which is why they’re loosely regarded as 2s. Ah! We’re getting into the weeds here…

Is Norwood 2 a Precursor to Baldness?

Again, not necessarily, but it can be. In my experience, Norwood 2 is one of the more “stable” steps on the Norwood scale — relatively speaking, our hair can always fall out at any time. But you see many men recede to approximately a NW 2 in their teens or 20s, and that position often holds for decades.

My dad was a approximately NW 2 for about 35 years, I’d estimate, and didn’t move on to NW 3 until sometime after he got his AARP card. Some men stay locked in a NW 2 for life, too.

Men who really go bald, on the other hand, may only make a brief pit stop at NW 2 before moving on to balder destinations.

Others may hold steady at Norwood 2 for years or decades, only to thin diffusely later in life and eventually look like Dr. Phil. Hair loss can slow down, accelerate, and stop altogether at any time, so keep that in mind. And after it stops for awhile, it can pick up steam again! Most men go bald to some extent, unfortunately, as I learned during my brief stint on jury duty.

Related: The 20-Something, Norwood 2 Conundrum – To Hop on Fin or Not?

So yeah, NW 2 could be a sign that you’re balding, and it’s a sign that, at the very least, you’re probably not immune from the MPB gene altogether, as DHT is believed to be the primary cause of the so-called “maturing” hairline.

If you’re concerned, keep an eye on it and/or get it checked out, especially if early-onset MPB runs on either side of your family. Watch your hairline corners in particular, as they could start to erode, which would definitely be indicative of male pattern baldness.

Other Norwood 2 Shapes

The line between Norwood 2 and 3 is a blurry one. While the traditional Norwood 2 pattern has a V shape, a more advanced Norwood 2 pattern (or mild Norwood 3 pattern) may take on one of the following shapes:

U-shape

Indicative of slight recession — beyond a typical mature hairline — the U-shaped, receding hairline is a very mild variety of hair loss. Actor Brian Cranston appears to have a U-shaped hairline, as does former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Cranston’s co-star from Breaking Bad, Aaron Paul, also appears to have a mild, U-shaped type 2 or mild type 3 receding hairline.

M-Shape

Slightly more eroded than your average mature hairline, the “McDonald’s M” or “Mickey Mouse” hairline is common among men of all ages.

Tom Hanks has sported a classic, M-shaped hairline for many years now.

Extra-Large V

You don’t see this hairline quite as often as the others I’ve listed so far. Basically, the whole hairline moves back a little but retains its “mature” shape, more or less. Talk-show host Conan O’Brien appears to have this pattern.

The Island of Hair

Not a Norwood 2, but rather a full blown Norwood 3. The ” twin runway” hairline, a la Richard Nixon or Sting.

Singer Sting is still as handsome as ever in spite of his receded hairline!

Norwood 2 Hairline Treatment Options

If you’re not happy with your Norwood 2 status and believe your hair loss may be of the progressive variety, then you do have options.

Finasteride

The gold standard. It’s the treatment that works for 9 out of 10 guys — and that’s an absurdly high success rate!

It’s been around for over 25 years now. Five and ten-year studies have been conducted on the medication, testing both its safety and efficacy — and virtually all the legitimate research indicates that it’s safe and well-tolerated.

But yes, finasteride also has some unfortunate and unappealing potential side effects, primarily of the sexual variety.

Initial FDA-backed studies suggested only 1-2% of users developed sexual side effects as a result of finasteride use. But new data has shown that the 1-2% figure was inaccurate; side effect rates may be higher than previously thought.

For a simple receding hairline, is finasteride worth the risk? That’s ultimately your call.

Minoxidil

Perhaps your father or even your  grandfather used it.

Over the last 30 years of so, minoxidil’s literally been a (follicular) lifesaver for millions of men. It helps slow the progression of hair loss in about 80% of guys — slow being the operative word. Its effectiveness wanes over time, as it doesn’t address the mechanism that causes balding in the first place: the hormone DHT.

Assuming your hair loss isn’t aggressive, minoxidil may very well be an effective long-term solution for you, provided you avoid the 8 most common minoxidil mistakes.

When I discovered I was going bald in 2021, five years after writing my first article for this site, I immediately purchased a three-pack of liquid minoxidil. And the minoxidil’s been working for me so far.

Laser Therapy

This is definitely the most embarrassing treatment for hair loss. It’s more of a supplementary treatment for men, but light therapy can help recharge thinning hairs to some degree. Don’t expect miracles. It’s not particularly convenient. You’ll likely need to wear a ridiculous helmet or cap on your head for at least a few hours every week.

On the plus side, it’s a treatment with an excellent safety profile, and many users have reported substantial gains via laser therapy.

Hair Transplantation for Norwood 2?

As a Norwood 2, you’re in the early stages of hair loss on the Norwood scale. Before you consider a hair transplant, you should familiarize yourself with the basics of hair transplantation.

Surgery often isn’t necessary at this stage. Starting a medication like finasteride, for example, could lead to significant regrowth.

The “Big 3” Factors to Consider

As a Norwood 2, whether you’re a viable hair transplant candidate or not will be determined by these 3 factors (among others):

• Your Age – Patients under 25 seldom make good candidates for transplantation, due to the increased risk of shock loss they face, and due to the fact that early onset hair loss is often aggressive.
• Degree/Rate of Your Hair Loss – Patients over 25 with stabilized hair loss — perhaps via medication — may be viable candidates for transplantation.
• How Much Your Hair Loss Bothers You – Norwood 2 isn’t a big deal for many (perhaps most) men. For others it’s an earth-shattering place to be. If your hair loss is really bringing you down, transplantation could be a solution.

Norwood 2 Hairline – Conclusion

Relatively speaking, Norwood 2 is a minor degree of hair loss. It could be much worse! It’s indicative of some recession, but having a Norwood 2 hairline doesn’t necessarily mean baldness is imminent for you, or that you’re going bald at all.

Treatments are also available, should you choose to go that route.

Now, if you feel like jumping into the hairline weeds with me, I’ll be waiting for you in the comment section.

Robert Price

Robert Price is a writer, consumer advocate, and hair loss researcher with thousands of hours of experience in the field. His goal is to keep you out of the hair loss rabbit hole, underworld, or whatever you want to call it. He founded Hair Loss Daily, the unbiased hair loss blog, in 2016. You can learn more about Robert in the my story section of this website.