Maybe A New Solution for Glue Head Syndrome?

[Kattriella]

So most of us who have bought a doll from Mattel in the last few years have probably experienced the dreaded "Glue Head Syndrome". If you haven't, it's what has occurred since Mattel picked cost over quality a few years back and started using glue to keep their dolls' hair rooted in instead of sewing it in like they used to. The glue starts to break down (very quickly) and oozes out the holes in the doll's scalp and into their hair. There have been a lot of fixes floating around the internet since this began, from baby powder to Goo Gone (my previous favorite method), and in extreme cases dolls just had to be rerooted.

By accident, I discovered another possible solution: Zote laundry soap. I usually use it for cleaning dolls clothes (it does wonders for stain removal), but recently I had a doll who I've been fighting with for some time. I bought her secondhand, and her hair was HARD. Goo Gone hadn't even helped. I had brought her into the bathroom with me by accident (she was in the doll "laundry bin" and it was laundry day (I pulled some old clothes out of storage and they were a little musty)). Out of curiosity, I decided I'd try scrubbing her hair with the Zote soap. And somehow, it worked.

I conditioned her hair like I would have after a Goo Gone treatment, and her hair isn't hard anymore. She'll probably need a second treatment due to how bad she was, but it seems to have definitely helped. I just used the same method on some Chelseas who were in the early stages of Glue Head Syndrome, and it seems to have helped.

Just thought I'd put this out there as an option. It's less messy, less expensive (the Zote soap is $1 for a large bar at Walmart in the laundry section, and most people have conditioner in their shower), and less hassle than the Goo Gone, and is yielding comparable if not better results.

Also, this stuff is just good to have in your dollieh care arsenal in general. You can pack a bar in your suitcase for travel or in your bag for immediate treatment of dirt and stains on an outdoor photoshoot. I love this stuff, and I'm constantly looking for new uses.

[Den]

I use dish soap and rubbing alcohol. but your method sounds like it'll stink less.

[DollyKim]

Does anyone know if blue Dawn liquid will help?

[maywong]

That seem worth a try. I have used baby powder, baking soda, Dawn, rubbing alcohol, Goo Gone, etc. Nothing has worked except Goo Gone. However, I just needed up rerooting because I am afraid of more glue leaking, and I hate hard heads.

[Kattriella]

Does anyone know if blue Dawn liquid will help?

It helps some, especially if the glue hair isn't TOO bad yet, but I never had much luck with it on really bad cases. That was one of the first things I tried with my original Monster High Clawdeen doll, who had arguably the worst case I've ever seen with the possible exception of my Chambray Chic Fashionista whose hair lost so much glue that it started falling out and I just finally cut it off and stuck a wig on her.

[Kattriella]

I use dish soap and rubbing alcohol. but your method sounds like it'll stink less.

I never tried rubbing alcohol, but the Zote definitely smells better. And it seems to have left the Chelseas I experimented on with exceptionally soft hair.