Why Does the Skin on the Extremities Wrinkle After a Bath?
Fingers and toes can become wrinkled after prolonged exposure to water. This occurs because of the type of skin that is on our hands and feet.
-
Not Osmosis
-
Wrinkling skin on the fingers and toes in the bath is not caused by osmosis. According to Argonne National Laboratory, this theory would imply that the skin on our fingertips is somehow "saltier" than the skin on the rest of our body. If the wrinkling were caused by osmosis, our entire bodies would wrinkle in the bath.
Dead Cells
-
The outer layer of skin on our hands and feet (including our fingers and toes) is much thicker than the skin on other parts of our body, and holds a higher concentration of dead skin cells. According to "Everyday Mysteries," published online by the Library of Congress, the dead skin cells act like a sponge when exposed to water and they expand.
-
Loose and Tight
-
The outermost layer of our skin has dead skin cells that will eventually fall off. When these dead skin cells absorb water and swell, the "live" skin cells underneath do not, and they remain firmly attached to the deeper fibers of our skin. This swelling out of dead skin cells and pulling in of live skin cells is what causes the wrinkled appearance of our extremities in water, according to the Nemours Foundation.
Skin Oil
-
Skin doesn't wrinkle immediately upon entering water because of a thin layer of oil, called sebum, that protects the skin. Once this oil is washed away, absorption begins in the skin cells underneath.
Other Theories
-
A study published in the "British Medical Journal" suggests that the wrinkling action on our extremities is actually caused by the nerves pulling in when exposed to water. While not yet proven, this theory came about because of the lack of wrinkly skin on the hands and feet of people who have nerve damage in those areas.
-
