Norwood scale, stage 6
Norwood 6
The front and crown bald areas have merged. Hair remains only on the sides and back, with some thinning there too.
- Balding under the scale
- Yes
- Typical age
- 50s and older, though some men reach stage 6 in their 30s.
- Estimated grafts (first session)
- 3,500 to 5,500
Estimate cost for 3,500 to 5,500 grafts → - Transplant candidacy
- Possible for some, limited by donor supply. Full coverage at natural density is rarely achievable.
What Norwood 6 looks like
At Norwood 6 the bridge is gone. The bald area runs from the hairline to the crown in one piece, and the remaining hair forms a band around the sides and back that is starting to drop lower.
This is the classic "bald on top" pattern. It is still a very common stage, and the sides and back usually keep enough hair for a transplant to be possible, though not for full coverage at high density.
How common is Norwood 6?
Roughly a third of men reach stage 6 or 7 by their 60s.
What people at Norwood 6 typically do next
- A transplant is possible and is done at this stage regularly, but it is a coverage decision, not a density decision: the grafts are spread to frame the face and cover the front and mid-scalp, with the crown often left bare or lightly covered.
- Two to three sessions are normal. A good surgeon will show you the total donor estimate up front.
- Scalp micropigmentation and a shaved look are the main alternatives at stage 6, and many men combine a smaller transplant with SMP.
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 6 sits on the full chart
Related guides
What people at Norwood 6 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 6: frequently asked questions
- How many grafts for Norwood 6?
- Clinics typically estimate 3,500 to 5,500 grafts for Norwood 6, almost always over two or more sessions. The total available donor hair, usually 5,000 to 7,000 grafts, is the real limit.
- Can a Norwood 6 have a hair transplant?
- Yes, if the donor area is dense enough, but full coverage at natural density is usually not possible. Most plans cover the front and mid-scalp and leave the crown thin or bare.
- Does medication help at Norwood 6?
- It can help keep the sides and back, which is the donor area, and some men see slight thickening of fine hairs on top, but it will not regrow the bald area.
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.