Why do your fingers shrivel up when in water too long?
- Posted:
- 3+ months ago by RuthMcNeill
- Topics:
- water, finger
Answers (2)
Scientists think that they have the answer to why the skin on human fingers and toes shrivels up like an old prune when we soak in the bath. Laboratory tests confirmed a theory that wrinkly fingers improve our grip on wet or submerged objects, working to channel away the water like the rain treads in car tires. The pattern of wrinkling appears to be optimized for providing a drainage network that improves grip.
Actually, it's not just fingers, but toes as well. Your digits don't have as much water content as the rest of your body does.
When exposed to copious amounts of water for a long period of time, they try to soak up as much as possible, then dry out really quickly once exposed to the air, resulting in pruning.