Finger Skeleton

The fingers are one of the doll's most vulnerable areas. This is especially true for TPE models: the soft finger material is the easiest to damage. Two finger constructions are available for TPE dolls.

Type 1 — Standard Fingers

This finger type is simply wire threaded through each finger of the doll's hand.

This is the standard skeleton type for TPE dolls. That said, we strongly recommend choosing the other, more advanced type called Articulated Fingers.

Features of Standard Fingers

  • No way to set a clear position for the fingers.
  • High risk of finger damage: the wire can tear through the material. For TPE this risk is higher than for silicone, the soft, elastic material is especially easy for the wire to tear through.
  • Unrealistic finger positioning.

Type 2 — Articulated Fingers

These fingers have a full internal skeleton with joints in every finger segment, which makes it easy to change their position. It also lets the doll hold objects more effectively.

On top of that, a doll with these fingers is less prone to accidental hand damage, since a common type of doll damage is the internal wire tearing through the finger material.

We recommend adding this upgrade when ordering your doll. It significantly increases the doll's realism. What's more, this upgrade has already become free with most brands.

What this gives you in practice

  • The hand can be easily posed into any natural gesture: relaxed palm, closed fingers, a pointing gesture.
  • The doll can hold light objects: a glass, a phone, a cigarette. This greatly expands your photography options.
  • The fingers hold their set position, rather than "twitching" when the doll is moved.

The construction and functionality of Articulated Fingers can vary from brand to brand. For some brands it's just a finger skeleton. For others it also includes an improved wrist joint. Either way, the basis is always the same, a skeleton inside every finger joint.

Some brands also offer additional Articulated Fingers types. For example, Ball Joint Skeleton from Irontech Doll. We've covered all these points in the customisation, you can read about it in the description on the product page.

Rules for handling the fingers

Even with a full skeleton, the fingers on a TPE doll remain the most delicate area. Follow three rules:

  • Only bend the fingers in natural directions and to natural limits, as with a human hand. TPE forgives less than silicone, the skeleton or wire can tear through a finger from the inside if overextended.
  • Don't put heavy objects in the doll's hand, and don't pull the doll by the fingers when moving her.
  • Put on narrow sleeved clothing carefully. Fingers catch on fabric, and that's when both the nails and the hand material itself are most often damaged.