Reborn dolls are hand-made art dolls that are created from a blank kit or a manufactured doll that has been transformed by an artist to resemble a human infant with realistic features such as veins, pores, tears, and saliva. These dolls are made of vinyl or silicone and are weighted to feel like a real baby. There are several reasons why people buy reborn dolls, including:

• Therapeutic benefits: Many people purchase reborn dolls as a form of therapy to help manage mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and dementia. The dolls can provide emotional support, comfort, and connection, especially for individuals who have lost a child. They can also help individuals with sensory processing disorders to better integrate sensory information and regulate their emotions.

• Collecting: Some people collect reborn dolls as they would regular dolls.

• Portrait dolls: Others use reborn dolls as a portrait doll of a grown child or to cope with their grief over a lost child.

• Modeling: Reborn dolls can be used as models for baby clothing makers and as stand-ins for newborn photographers to test their lighting, props, and camera angles.

• Movies and TV shows: Reborn dolls have been used for years as stand-ins for real babies in movies and TV shows, which is a very moral way to film babies and allows for non-stop filming.

While some critics debate whether reborn dolls are harmful, many collectors and artists argue that these dolls can help in the grieving process and provide therapeutic benefits.