Norwood Stage 3
Norwood Stage 3 is deeper, more defined temple recession — the hairline has moved back enough at the corners that the overall shape reads as an M, U, or V rather than a straight line, though the crown is typically still unaffected. This is the earliest stage most surgeons consider a genuinely clear-cut transplant candidate, since the recession pattern has usually become predictable enough to design around.
Why the range is 1,200-2,200 grafts
The 1,200-2,200 graft range reflects a wider hairline zone than Stage 2 — both temple points plus rebuilding a full frontal hairline across them, rather than just softening two corners. Two things move you within that range: how deep the recession runs front-to-back (deeper recession simply needs more grafts to fill), and how much density you're aiming for — a natural, slightly lower-density hairline uses fewer grafts than a fuller, denser one.
What to expect
Usually one session. This is also the stage where donor hair characteristics start to matter more for planning: coarser, higher-contrast hair (dark hair on light skin, for example) reads as denser at a given graft count than fine, low-contrast hair, so two people at an identical Stage 3 can reasonably be quoted different graft counts for a similar-looking result.
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