Tessa Quinn
The American Girl Doll Hospital, now known as the American Girl Doll Care Center, is a service provided by American Girl where customers can send in their dolls for restoration and repair. The service was rebranded in October 2023 to reflect the variety of services offered, including skin cleaning, hair restoration, and restyling. The doll hospital treats dolls with issues ranging from accidents to age-related wear and tear. While there is no physical store in Middleton, there are larger stores in cities like New York and Chicago that offer doll hospital drop-off services with a “doll doctor” who can perform check-ups before shipping the doll for repair.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | American Girl Doll Hospital, now known as the American Girl Doll Care Center |
| Services | Repairs, skin cleaning, hair restoration and restyling, eye replacement, hearing aid fitting, ear piercing, etc. |
| Cost | $45, $50, and $88 |
| Shipping | Free for US customers, additional charges for Canadian and international customers |
| Locations | New York City, Chicago |
| Turnaround Time | 2-4 weeks |
| Doll Condition | Dolls must be sent without clothing or accessories, and with no missing heads or bodies |
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What You'll Learn
Doll check-ups and treatments
The American Girl Doll Hospital has been rebranded as the American Girl Doll Care Center, reflecting its expanded range of services beyond repairs. The center offers doll check-ups and treatments to restore dolls to their former glory.
Check-ups
The Doll Care Center offers a free wellness exam for your doll, conducted by a specially trained "Doll Doctor." The doctor will check your doll's pulse, temperature, and reflexes. The center also provides an interactive play area where children can role-play as doctors, performing eye exams, taking X-rays, and conducting dental check-ups on their dolls.
Treatments
The Doll Care Center provides a range of treatments to address various issues your doll may be facing. Here are some of the common treatments offered:
- Skin and hair care: This includes cleaning the vinyl skin to remove any stains or marks, brushing and restyling the hair, and addressing any severe damage to the hair from play or haircuts.
- Eye replacement: The center can replace damaged eyes, ensuring your doll receives a matching eye color to its original.
- Reattachment of limbs: Dolls with loose or detached heads or limbs can have them securely reattached, including restringing if needed.
- Head replacement: In some cases, the center may offer head replacements, especially if there are issues with the wig. However, this is typically a last resort, as it can be challenging to match skin tones and designs of older or less common dolls.
- Hearing aid and ear piercing: The center can also provide additional services like fitting a hearing aid or piercing your doll's ears, adding a unique touch to your doll.
Drop-off and Shipping
You can choose to drop off your doll at select American Girl Place stores, such as those in New York or Chicago, where a "doll doctor" will perform a check-up before shipping it for further treatment. Alternatively, you can ship your doll directly to the Doll Care Center, following the instructions provided on their website. The center offers free standard shipping for US customers with a minimum order value.
Please note that the center only services authentic American Girl dolls and that certain limited-edition dolls may have restricted repair options due to the availability of replacement parts.
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Doll repair services
The American Girl Doll Care Center, formerly known as the American Girl Doll Hospital, offers repair services for damaged or worn-out dolls. The center has been operational since 1988 and only fixes authentic American Girl dolls.
The Doll Care Center provides various repair services, including:
- Skin and hair restoration: This involves cleaning the vinyl skin and restoring or restyling the doll's hair. It is important to note that this service may not restore severely damaged hair or deep stains on the vinyl.
- Eye replacement: Damaged eyes can be replaced, but eye color swapping is not available.
- Reattachment of head and limbs: Dolls with loose or detached heads or limbs can be restrung and reattached.
- Hearing aid fitting and ear piercing: These services are available for certain dolls, such as lookalike dolls.
- Cloth body replacement: The doll hospital can replace cloth bodies with permanent or removable underwear.
- Replacement of stained limbs: If a doll's limbs are stained by American Girl clothing or accessories, they can be replaced.
Sending Your Doll to the Hospital:
You can either ship your doll directly to the Doll Care Center or admit it at an American Girl Place store. However, it is important to note that dolls cannot be repaired on-site at the stores. When sending your doll, ensure that it is naked, with no clothing or accessories, and packed in a plain box along with the admission form and payment. Free shipping is available for US customers, while Canadian and international customers may incur additional shipping fees.
Costs and Packages:
The cost of repairing your American Girl doll can vary. While some sources mention packages ranging from $45 to $88, others refer to the overall experience as being cheaper than purchasing a new doll. It is always best to contact the Doll Care Center directly to understand the costs associated with the specific repairs your doll needs.
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Doll skin and hair restoration
The American Girl Doll Hospital has been rebranded as the American Girl Doll Care Center, reflecting its expanded services beyond repairs to include skin cleaning, hair restoration, and restyling. The center has been around since 1988 and only services authentic American Girl dolls. Repairs are divided into three categories: Doll Renew and Refresh, Doll Care and Repair, and Advanced Doll Care and Repair.
Dolls can be shipped from home or admitted at an American Girl Place store. However, it's important to note that dolls cannot be repaired on-site at these stores. When submitting a doll for restoration, it must be naked with no clothing or accessories, and any removable earrings must be taken out. Additionally, it should be placed in a plain box along with the admission form and payment. Free shipping is available for US customers, while Canadian and international customers must pay additional shipping and delivery fees.
The Doll Care Center offers various treatments for skin and hair restoration. The vinyl skin is cleaned, and the hair is brushed and restyled. However, it's important to note that this service does not restore severely damaged hair or deep stains on the vinyl, such as ink stains. Dolls will be returned with their original hairstyles unless otherwise specified.
For more extensive hair restoration, specialized services like Dollyhair™ offer doll hair restoration and rerooting supplies. They provide a wide array of colors and textures, allowing for customization and rejuvenation of the doll's appearance. They also offer doll hair fragrances and pre-curled nylon hair options.
Additionally, independent artists like Lolaxs offer doll restoration services, including hair bleaching, washing, and paint retouching. Beginners attempting doll restoration should be cautious and practice on cheap dolls with professional supplies to avoid causing further damage to the doll.
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Doll hospital locations
The American Girl Doll Hospital has been rebranded as the American Girl Doll Care Center, reflecting its expanded services beyond repairs to include skin cleaning, hair brushing, and restyling. The center has been offering repair services since 1988 and caters to authentic American Girl dolls only.
While the doll hospital itself is just a warehouse, you can bring your doll to an American Girl Place store to drop it off for repairs. Some larger stores, such as those in New York and Chicago, have a "doll doctor" who can perform check-ups and sometimes even on-site repairs. However, it is important to note that repairs cannot be done on-site at all American Girl Place stores.
For customers in the United States, free standard shipping is available for purchases totaling $150 or more. Free shipping is provided both ways for US customers sending their dolls for repairs, along with a Certificate of Good Health, a get-well card, a Doll Care Center gown, and socks. Additional charges may apply for rush shipping or shipping outside the US and Canada.
The Doll Doctors' Association also provides an interactive map on its website to help locate doll repair specialists near you. However, they do not provide any guarantees or endorsements for the qualifications or services of their listed members.
Additionally, there are several doll hospitals and repair services listed on Yelp in Ontario, California, including Dee's Place of Dolls, Lego Store, and Pegasus Hobbies.
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Doll hospital costs
The American Girl Doll Care Center (formerly known as the American Girl Doll Hospital) offers a range of services for repairing and restoring American Girl dolls. The centre has been operational since 1988 and only fixes authentic American Girl dolls.
The cost of services depends on the type of repair or restoration required. As of 2009, head or limb reattachment and eye replacement cost $24, while a new head or body cost $39. Torso or limb replacement cost $29. A wellness visit, which includes skin cleaning and hair brushing, cost $24.
In 2021, the lowest level of service, the 18" doll Refresh and Renew, was priced at $32 and included skin cleaning, hair brushing and styling, limb tightening, and replacement of eyes or reattachment of heads and/or limbs. This package also included a hospital gown, socks, a get-well card, a certificate of good health, and a tiny hospital bracelet.
Additional costs may apply for shipping, especially for customers outside the US. International customers must pay shipping and delivery fees both ways.
It is important to note that the Doll Care Center maintains the right to refuse a doll that has been heavily modified or customised beyond recognition, particularly to prevent scams involving the exchange of rare doll parts.
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Frequently asked questions
The American Girl Doll Hospital has been renamed the American Girl Doll Care Center, and it is open. The name change reflects the expansion of services offered beyond repairs to include skin cleaning, hair brushing and restyling, and more.
There is no physical hospital location. Dolls can be shipped in for repair or dropped off at an American Girl Place store, such as those in New York or Chicago.
The Doll Hospital offers a range of services, including skin cleaning, hair brushing and restyling, eye replacement, and reattachment of limbs and heads. It also provides a free wellness exam, where a "Doll Doctor" checks the doll's pulse, temperature, and reflexes.
The cost depends on the package selected. The "Refresh and Renew" package, which includes tightening limbs and hair combing, costs $45. The $88 package provides a full replacement.
The standard time for a doll to be repaired and returned is two to four weeks.
