The mum of a young boy with a rare skin condition is shaving off her long locks to show that looks are only skin deep.

Laura Levy will be shaving all her hair off at her home in Letchworth in a bid to raise £2,000 for the Ichthyosis Support Group – a charity which has helped her five-year-old son, Mekhi Barbour.

Mekhi suffers with ichthyosis, a long-term condition which results in thick, scaly skin due to a faulty gene.

There is no cure, and the symptoms must be controlled by regular bathing routines to prevent the skin from drying and cracking.

Laura – who works as a life coach – has already raised more than £1,000 in a week and is determined to double her money ahead of the big shave at her home just off Bedford Road on Sunday, September 13.

The 35-year-old said: “I have hair beyond my shoulders so I’m quite nervous about doing this, but I want to raise money for a charity that does so much hard work to make the lives of those affected by Ichthyosis easier.

“Secondly, I want to to make a point that magazine beauty is not everything and just because you look different to the rest, it doesn’t invalidate your worth in any way, shape or form.

“My son suffers from this skin disorder and this is my practical way of being a role model to him and showing him the way.

“I love my boy. He is beautiful beyond belief, his character shines above anything skin deep and I am so grateful to him for the path and the learning that he’s taken me on.

“So many of us become fixated on our outward appearance that we compromise the type of relationship we want and how we want to be treated.

“Little stars like Mekhi turn up and show us what is really important in life – not magazine beauty, but soulful beauty.”

If you want to help Laura reach her fundraising target you can donate by visiting www.justgiving.com/mylittledude.