"Don't have what?" I asked nervously, concerned by her tone that whatever I didn't have must be of dire importance.
"Bang talent," she answered simply. "Some people have it. Some don't. You don't." I looked at my sister's bangs, standing up proudly in all their 90's Auquanet glory, and then back at my own limp locks. She was right! Not an ounce of bang talent to be found! At first I was deeply offended, but through the years I would remember that conversation with amusement and even comfort. So what if my hair looked bad? It wasn't my fault! I just didn't have it. I came to discover that I had many wonderful talents, but bang talent was never one of them, and I was okay with that.
- H2O: The first defense is to apply good old water. With wigged hair, spritz lightly. For rooted hair, you can dunk your doll into the water, as long as you protect her eyes. In really bad cases (but NEVER on wigged dolls) you can heat the water to boiling and then let it cool slightly before bathing the bangs to relax them. This will remove any curl. Let your doll's hair dry thoroughly and restyle.
- Hairbrush: Be sure to use a wire wig brush or doll brush that has never been used on human hair. (The natural oils can damage synthetic hair.)
- Hat: Use a tight hat (or a sock) to flatten down stubborn bangs that stick up. Leave it on over night or a few days. For smaller dolls, you can use a clear hair elastic.
- Heat: I only use heat as a last resort, and NOT on collectible or valuable dolls. Be really careful with wigged hair, as heat can loosen the glue used to attach the hair. Use a low setting on your hair dryer, and be sure to keep the dryer moving as you aim the air stream at the roots and then tips, starting at the top of the head and moving down toward the forehead. Be sure to protect your doll's face and eyes with a dry washcloth. The heat should help smooth down the hair and seal in the shine.
- Help: Some hair problems just can't be handled at home. Don't be afraid to send your doll to a doll hospital or an online doll repair service. You can also get advice and assistance from doll experts on the internet. Really bad cases may need to be re-wigged. I have had good luck finding some nice wigs from thrift store dolls, and you can usually order them online for reasonable prices as well. Remember that removing the wig from a collectible doll like American Girl can decrease it's value, and you could damage your doll, so keep that in mind.