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Hints for Brushing Doll Hair

Dolls are among the most played-with toys available as their versatility and variety makes them ideal. They can be carried along, dressed up, fed, changed, bathed and loved. With all this loving, though, comes plenty of wear and tear. A doll's hair gets this attention more than any other part. With a little care and the proper techniques, your doll's hair can withstand the love it receives for many years.

Brushing Synthetic Doll Hair
- Brushing is the easiest and most common way of caring for doll hair. Most modern dolls have synthetic hair, which needs to be treated differently than human hair.
  
  Proper brushing begins with the proper brush. Use a metal-bristled wig brush or a pet brush that is dedicated for use on doll hair. You can get special doll hair brushes, but they are often made for a child's hand and are sometimes expensive. The pet department at a discount store should have the kind of brush you need. It should have metal bristles without the plastic balls on the ends. You aren't going to hurt your doll's head. Don't use the same brush on your doll that you use on your or your pet's hair. If you share a brush with your doll the oils from your hair can attract dirt and make your doll's hair look dull. A plastic-bristled brush can increase the static electricity in a doll's hair.
  
  Separate the hair into sections, tying part of it back with an elastic band. Use a "no pull" hair band to minimize hair breakage. Start with the hair underneath and hold one hand on the doll's head to stabilize the neck and to take the stress off the roots of the doll's hair. This helps reduce the amount of hair that is pulled out during the brushing process. Start at the ends of the hair, working your way toward the top of the head, carefully detangling as you go. The gentler you are the more hair your doll retains. When you are finished with one section, tie it back and move onto another section. If your doll's hair is very tangled and dull you can work a small amount of human hair detangler through the doll's hair to help smooth the hair and remove tangles. Spritzing the hair with cold water from a spray bottle can also help work out the tangles. Never use heat, either from a hair drier or a curling iron, on your doll's hair.
  
  Once you get the doll's hair brushed you may want to consider braiding it or putting it in a ponytail to help alleviate future tangles. This is something to consider especially if your doll is a beloved playmate and often exposed to the elements and other doll hair dangers, like hook-and-loop closures.

Dolls