By Jane Elliott BBC News health reporter

Brittany Morgan's new hair piece is made from real hair

A thank you to all the people who made her beautiful hair possible.

At the age of 15, Brittany's hair started to drop out. Doctors discovered she had Alopecia Areata, an immune system disorder, which caused her hair follicles to become dormant.

For two years she wore a wig, which she felt was too obvious. She was teased by fellow students and felt her confidence sapping.

Hair

Then she heard of the American charity 'Locks of Love', which produces specially fitted hairpieces, mostly for children, made entirely from donated human hair.

"I felt when I got my hair that I had received a part of who I was before I lost my hair," Brittany said.

Alopecia teases you into believing it will give you something back only to take it away again Brittany Morgan

"The disease is not medically disabling, but emotionally, it is challenging. The emotional pain is devastating.

"It was very stressful, feeling like I was the only one with alopecia.

"The prognosis for alopecia isn't very good. The hair may come back in some patients completely, others in spots - only to come out again.

"Alopecia teases you into believing it will give you something back only to take it away again."

Brittany, now 20, said her hair-piece became a part of her.

"A wig is stiff, gets tangled easily, doesn't flow when the wind blows, it shows the netting beneath when you move, it doesn't allow for parting or change and itches.

"It has to be taped on and can easily blow off.

"With this you feel the wind move it like silk. You can see what appears to be natural scalp and no matter how you part it, you can dance, swim, turn flips, ride a horse, or run and it won't come off unless you remove it."

Custom-made

But, like real hair, it sheds hairs as it is combed, so Brittany is now ready for her second prosthesis.

However she says her hair piece has given her the confidence to face her future.

Those, like Brittany, needing hair pieces, can choose the colour and texture of hair they want.

I took multi-vitamins and used a good shampoo and conditioner for my hair Bonnie Frederick

It is custom made from a plaster-cast mould of the head. Then a surgical silicone skullcap is made and, coloured to match the skin tone.

Each piece of hair is injected into the skullcap with special needles. This is done 150,000 times for one hairpiece.

It takes 10 ponytails to make a hairpiece because the shorter strands get removed during the process. The shorter hair goes into hairpieces for boys.

The hairpieces, which cost from US$3,500 to $6,000, are provided free of charge by 'Locks of Love', or on a sliding scale of cost.

The hair is donated by Americans and Canadians, and many are from children who have had their long hair cut shorter.

Karen Mallin, a clinical psychologist, based at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami in Miami Florida, has researched psychodermatology and feels that while some children adjust well to their hair loss, others can have psychological and psychosocial problems.

"Some children have excellent coping strategies that get them through difficult events such as experiencing hair loss.

"However, experiencing a chronic skin condition such as Alopecia Areata, or other hair loss disorders can be extremely stressful, and can over time contribute to having anxiety and depressive symptoms or a full diagnosis of a mood disorder.

"Most often, children as well as adults experience a lowering of self-esteem and body image. This can impact social skills and social supports, two important factors which support healthy coping.

Counselling

"Some of these individuals, have benefited from going to a counsellor or psychotherapist to learn better coping skills to get them over the difficult periods."

She said hairpieces gave children, like Brittany, back their confidence. "A hair-piece offers the wearer visible hope that their appearance can return to a likeness of how they knew themselves to be before developing their hair loss problem.

Preparing hair Hair must be at least 10 inches in length It must be bundled in a pony-tail or a braid It must be free of hair damaged by chemical processing (no bleach, no recent perms). Dyed hair is okay, as long as it's healthy

"As an individual feels comfortable with their outward appearance, their confidence returns and they become more comfortable in social situations. It is most often in social settings that individuals with hair loss feel the stares of curiosity and rejection."

Bonnie Frederick, who grew her hair to take part in an amateur play, donated her first locks of hair this year - 11 inches' worth.

She said she had been conscious of keeping her hair in tip top condition for their new owner.

"I took multi-vitamins and used a good shampoo and conditioner for my hair, which is very basic - straight, no perm, and no colour.

"I had planned on growing it until the end of February, but cut it six weeks earlier to prevent it going through harsh winter weather and drying indoor conditions."