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Enjoying a relaxing soak might leave your fingers and toes wrinkled. But what’s the reason behind this phenomenon?
©iStockphoto.com/Yanik ChauvinAfter a soothing bath or a refreshing swim, you may notice the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet become wrinkled like prunes. While this effect fades away, you might have wondered why your skin reacts this way after being in water for a while.
The outermost layer of your skin, known as the epidermis, is responsible for the wrinkling effect, which typically occurs after about 30 minutes in water. The epidermis is made up of keratin, a protein that helps to keep the skin strong and hydrated. The surface layer of the epidermis, called the stratum corneum, is composed of dead keratin cells, with 'stratum corneum' meaning 'horned layer' in Latin [source: Meyer].
The dead keratin cells in the stratum corneum absorb water and swell after prolonged exposure to water, while the living keratin cells deeper in the skin remain unaffected. As the dead cell layer expands, it creates more surface area, but since it's still connected to the living cells beneath, it has no place to go. This causes the stratum corneum to wrinkle to make room for the new surface area [source: Library of Congress]. Researchers are also exploring other theories, such as whether blood vessel constriction might contribute to the wrinkling process.
If most of your body is submerged in water, why do wrinkles only appear on your hands and feet, and not elsewhere? The palms of your hands and the soles of your feet have thicker skin, and therefore a thicker keratin layer, due to their frequent use. This makes these areas more prone to wrinkling in water compared to other parts of the body [source: Meyer].
