There are a range of conditions that cause hair loss, but one condition has baffled doctors.

It seems a boy from Iowa in the USA went bald after pulling out his hair.

The psychological disorder is called trichitillomania which forces sufferers to pull out their hair, which if severe enough can result in baldness.

The boy’s mother told local reporters: “He started to pull out his eyebrows when he was in second grade, then he quit. Then, when he started fourth grade, he started to pull out his hair.”

The boy’s parents were so concerned they eventually went to a conference where they were informed about an organisation called Hair Club for Kids. This particular body provides children with hair who are suffering from medical conditions.

Vice President of Hair Club for Kids Lee Zoppa said: “It’s not hair replacement, but a semi-permanent hair piece made of synthetic fibres woven in with real hair. It lasts about four months, and children who get hair systems get free replacements as often as they need them up until age 17.”

Since wearing the hair piece, the child has grown in confidence. His mother believes this is because of the way it is held in place. She said: “Because of the glue in the hair system, he couldn’t pull his hair out and he retrained his brain to focus on things other than pulling his hair.”