( Evansville, IN) - WWE superstar Carlito will miss between six and nine months of action after injuring his hair.

The injury occurred at a house show here during a match with Raw superstar Shelton Benjamin. Benjamin went for a routine hair pull when Carlito collapsed on the ground. Referee   Jim Korderas  made the "X" symbol with his arms, and Carlito was fitted with a hair brace before being carried off by EMT's.

"It wasn't anyone's fault; it just happened." Benjamin told wwe.com this week. "I always try to protect my opponent the best I can. It wasn't like I was taking liberties with his hair or anything."

Carlito said he knew right away that the hair pull was serious, but attempted to comb through the pain and hope it went away.

"The next morning, I could barely even mousse, so I knew something was up," the second-generation grappler said. "I called the office and told them that I had to get this checked out ASAP."

Carlito flew to Birmingham, Alabama, where noted physician Dr. James Andrews  conducted an MRI. The doctor confirmed Carlito's worst fears: he had suffered torn follicles, which can cause some athletes to miss up to a year of action.

"Carlito is young and motivated," Andrews told the WWE website. "I have no doubt that, with proper rehab, he could be walking around with healthier hair than ever in maybe half a year to nine months."

Still, the former United States and Intercontinental champion is exploring alternate routes for treatment. The Caribbean superstar has even consulted with the renowned   Hair Club For Men  clinic about an experimental new type of therapy.