Use this Ludwig scale chart and calculator to compare part width, top-of-scalp density, and scalp visibility against the classic 3-stage Ludwig hair loss scale. It is descriptive, not diagnostic. Sudden shedding, postpartum loss, pain, scaling, or patchy loss deserve medical context.
Use the part width, scalp visibility, and top-of-scalp density observations below to find the closest visual range. The result is deliberately approximate: the Ludwig scale describes a visible pattern and cannot identify the cause of hair loss.
Make the part you actually wear, in soft daylight. Compare the overall width, not one flyaway or an old scar.
A top-down photo helps. Even full hair shows a little scalp at the part — look at the whole top of the head.
Think about ponytail thickness and how the top hair behaves — not the back and sides, which the Ludwig pattern usually spares.
Early female pattern hair loss. Hair on the top of the scalp becomes slightly thinner, but the frontal hairline is preserved. The widening is subtle and often only visible to the person whose hair it is.
The central part widens further and the scalp becomes visibly more exposed in good lighting. Total hair volume is reduced enough to change how a ponytail feels and how the hair falls. The frontal hairline remains preserved in classic Ludwig pattern.
Pronounced thinning across the entire top of the scalp. The scalp is clearly visible. Hair on the top is fine and miniaturized. The frontal hairline is usually still preserved, but a Christmas-tree pattern of recession at the very front may appear in some women.
The Ludwig scale is best for diffuse thinning on the top of the scalp with a preserved frontal hairline. It is less useful when the main issue is temple recession, patchy loss, scarring, traction at the edges, or sudden shedding after a clear trigger.
The most useful comparison is not one stage label. It is whether your part width, scalp visibility, and density look different across the same photo setup over time. A Ludwig I photo under harsh light can look more frightening than a Ludwig II photo in soft light, which is why aligned photos matter.
Female hair loss can have overlapping causes: androgenetic pattern, postpartum shedding, low iron or ferritin, thyroid issues, restriction, medication changes, scalp inflammation, traction, and stress-related telogen effluvium. The stage chart cannot separate those causes for you.
Use Ludwig as a vocabulary tool, then use a cleaner record. Folicle helps you repeat the same part-line and top-down photos, add notes, and export a timeline for a clinician if the pattern is unclear.
The emotional side deserves respect too. Part-width changes can feel intensely personal even when other people do not notice them. If the scale helps you name what you are seeing, use it. If it becomes another way to check compulsively, move back to scheduled photos and monthly reviews.
A good Ludwig note should include the stage guess, part location, hair condition, lighting, postpartum or hormonal context if relevant, shedding changes, and any scalp symptoms. That turns a vague worry into a record a clinician can actually read.
If you are tracking with photos, avoid changing the part line every session to find the worst view. Choose the part you actually wear, then repeat it. You can add a second reference part if needed, but keep each zone consistent enough that the comparison is fair.
For diffuse thinning, consistency matters more than drama: a stable part-line photo every month is more useful than ten fear-driven photos from ten different angles. That is especially true when postpartum timing, stress, or hair length changes the way the scalp looks.
Diffuse shedding in women is not always androgenetic. Before assuming Ludwig pattern, rule out these reversible causes with a primary care visit.
Three to six months after delivery, a large fraction of hair enters the resting phase and sheds together. It is dramatic, frightening, and almost always reversible. Track the timeline rather than panicking at the peak.
Low ferritin (below ~40 ng/mL for many women) and untreated hypothyroidism are two of the most overlooked drivers of diffuse shedding. A simple panel from your GP is worth more than any shampoo.
Rapid caloric deficit, post-bariatric recovery, and undereating during illness can all push hair into the telogen phase. Hair tells you, six months later, what your last spring looked like.
Some women experience increased shedding three to six months after discontinuing certain combined pills. The pattern usually stabilizes within a year, with or without intervention.
Seek medical context sooner if shedding is sudden, patchy, painful, inflamed, scaly, or linked to pregnancy, medication changes, heavy dieting, illness, or new systemic symptoms. The Ludwig scale can describe visible thinning, but it cannot tell you why it is happening.
Folicle was built with diffuse female pattern shedding in mind. Free to start.
Free to use on any site. Paste this snippet — it keeps a link back so readers can find the full tool.
<iframe src="https://folicle.app/embed/ludwig-scale" title="Ludwig Scale Self-Check by Folicle" width="100%" height="820" loading="lazy" style="border:0;border-radius:16px;max-width:760px"></iframe> <p style="font:13px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#6B5547;margin:8px 0 0"><a href="https://folicle.app/tools/ludwig-scale">Ludwig Scale Self-Check</a> by <a href="https://folicle.app">Folicle</a></p>