Norwood scale, stage 3
Norwood 3 Vertex
Stage 3 temple recession plus a thinning spot at the crown. Hair loss in two places at once.
- Balding under the scale
- Yes
- Typical age
- Late 20s to 40s.
- Estimated grafts (first session)
- 1,500 to 2,500
Estimate cost for 1,500 to 2,500 grafts → - Transplant candidacy
- Commonly performed. A single session usually covers the affected area.
What Norwood 3 Vertex looks like
Norwood 3 vertex (often written 3V) combines early thinning at the vertex, the crown of the head, with temple recession no deeper than stage 3. The two areas are still separated by a solid band of hair.
Many men do not notice the crown patch themselves, because it is behind them. It tends to show up first in photos taken from above or in a barber's hand mirror.
How common is Norwood 3 Vertex?
Crown thinning alongside temple recession is one of the two main routes to the later stages; the other is the hairline-first route through stage 4.
What people at Norwood 3 Vertex typically do next
- Medication matters more here than at plain stage 3, because the crown responds well to minoxidil and finasteride and is the area that will expand fastest without them.
- A transplant at 3V usually targets the hairline first. Most surgeons are cautious about transplanting the crown early, because the crown keeps expanding and can use up donor hair you will want later.
These are the options people at this stage commonly weigh, not a recommendation. A dermatologist or hair restoration surgeon can assess your donor area, hair calibre and the cause of your hair loss.
Because this stage includes the vertex, the crown hair transplant planner shows how measured area, whorl design, frontal priority and donor reserve change the decision.
All Norwood stages
Not sure which is yours? Use the stage finder.
Where Norwood 3 Vertex sits on the full chart
Related guides
What people at Norwood 3 Vertex most often read next.
- Ketoconazole Shampoo Hair Loss: What the Small Studies ShowKetoconazole shampoo for hair loss rests on 81 men who used it alone and no placebo-controlled trial. What each study measured, and the side-effect rates.
- Hair Transplant Before and After Turkey: What the Galleries Leave OutWhat to check in hair transplant before-and-after galleries from Turkey: timing, donor photos, graft counts and the records to request.
- Hair Transplant Cost US vs Turkey: What the Gap BuysCompare US and Turkey hair transplant quotes on graft count, travel, time off, surgical roles and follow-up—not package price alone.
Norwood 3 Vertex: frequently asked questions
- How many grafts for Norwood 3 vertex?
- Clinics typically estimate 1,500 to 2,500 grafts for Norwood 3 vertex, covering the temples and a small crown area. Many surgeons treat the hairline first and address the crown later.
- What does vertex mean in Norwood 3 vertex?
- The vertex is the crown of the head, the highest point at the back. "3 vertex" means thinning at the crown, with recession at the front that goes no further than stage 3.
- Does crown thinning always progress?
- Not always, but untreated crown thinning usually widens over time. It is the area that responds best to medication, which is why doctors tend to recommend starting treatment when it is first noticed.
Sources
Stage definitions follow Norwood's 1975 classification. Graft estimates are typical clinic planning figures for a first session and vary with hair calibre, donor density and hairline design.
How Bald is an information site, not a clinic. Nothing here is medical advice and we do not sell procedures or medication. Figures are estimates with sources listed on our methodology page. Talk to a dermatologist or hair restoration surgeon before treatment.