The creation of dolls that appear more realistic, lifelike, and more similar to a human child has become a current trend for collectors and hobbyists. Known as "reborn dolls," this trend is paving the way to a new market for hobbymakers and others involved in the collectable world. Being able to create lifelike dolls is consistently spreading throughout the community of craftspeople who have grown bored with the more traditionally-sold retail dolls.

The reborn dolls market has really boomed in the last five or so years thanks to the wider adoption of certain artistic techniques that allow the dolls to be enhanced and made to be more realistic. Much of the reborn doll craze can be attributed to the berenguer and preemie dolls that have been sold for years, which have lifelike attributes and other realistic expressions and shapes that resemble human babies.

Often, reborn dolls are created using a specific process that works to strip the doll of its artificial appearance and trappings to create a more realistic looking and feeling model. The process usually starts with the disassembly of the doll and the removal of the paint that was applied at the production facility. This stripping of the paint off leaves a plastic shell that can then be altered as needed.

Reborn dolls will then have a purple hue added to their insides, which will create color tones underneath the plastic. This enhances the realism of the doll's skin color. At that point, different skin tones are painted on the outside to add a true skin color, and other touches, such as skin lines, blemishes and other effects will help to make the doll appear more realistic.

Using real human hair or soft, humanlike mohawk faux fair, hair and eyelashes are added to the doll, causing the reborn dolls to have human-like characteristics. This process can take dozens of hours, since it is often done by hand and by strand. After application of the hair or hair-like features, the doll is reassembled with a softer filling and underbelly. Other additions may also be added, such as a breathing or heartbeat sound to create a realistic sense of the dolls being alive.

For individuals who wish to make their own, and for those individuals wishing to put in less work, there are reborn doll collections available that able the customer to create their own reborn doll without putting in as much work. A lot of people are willing to dish out their money (paying as high as a few hundred dollars) to buy one. Newborn mothers have come to be one of the most popular receivers of these gifts, frequently imitating the condition of their children after birth, to have as a keepsake.

Creating more realistic child dolls is an increasingly growing trend among collectors and hobbyists. The term given to this is creating reborn dolls. The Berenguer and preemie dolls that have sold for years can be credited partially for the reborn craze, as they began the trend of lifelike qualities and expressions. For individuals who wish to make their own dolls, reborn doll kits are available. A lot of people are willing to pay as much a several hundred dollars to buy one. Newborn mothers have come to be one of the most popular receivers of these gifts, frequently imitating the condition of their children after birth, as a keepsake.