Simple yet curious Questions about the skin and water

[Chuquis]

I would like to ask why is it that the skin tends to wrinkle when one goes or is in the water for a period of time?

This has baffled me for a long time. My mum says it is because the skin becomes dehydrated.

[Tres Juicy]

It's mostly the skin on the tips of your fingers (and toes) the wrinkles because these areas are more prone to losing the layer of waterproof grease that the skin produces

[michel123456]

It is because the pressure of fluids inside your body is higher than the pressure of water in a bath. Water runs out of your body through your skin and you get dehydrated. It becomes more apparent where there is a large surface of skin for a small volume of flesh: your fingers and toes. But it goes out from all your body.

 

Drink water after a bath, especially at sea.

Edited January 29, 2013 by michel123456

[Janus]

The actual explanation seems to be a conditioned response. As the water is absorbed it alters the electrolytes which, in turn, changes the firing rate of neurons, which causes the blood vessels to constrict, removing fluid from under the skin. This is supported by the fact that wrinkling may not occur where there is nerve damage present. The response apparently developed because the wrinkly fingers have better grip in wet conditions.

[ewmon]

Interestingly, "wrinkling is caused by blood vessels constricting below the skin" ...

 

source

 

source

(Janus beat me to it.)

Edited January 29, 2013 by ewmon

[overtone]

The question "why" has at least two approaches to an answer: mechanical and evolutionary.

 

The sources above referred to this, which IMHO deserves emphasis in the thread. To repeat:

 

A possible evolutionarily significant property of skin wrinkling - better grip on wet objects after long immersion of the hands (and feet, notice) in warm water. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/347439/description/Pruney_digits_help_people_get_a_grip .

 

Those of use following the aqautic ape argument noticed this.

Edited February 4, 2013 by overtone

[michel123456]

The question "why" has at least two approaches to an answer: mechanical and evolutionary.

 

The sources above referred to this, which IMHO deserves emphasis in the thread. To repeat:

 

A possible evolutionarily significant property of skin wrinkling - better grip on wet objects after long immersion of the hands (and feet, notice) in warm water. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/347439/description/Pruney_digits_help_people_get_a_grip .

 

Those of use following the aqautic ape argument noticed this.

Better grip of feets. For apes undoubtedly.

[vampares]

You get a better grip on wet objects when there is less dead skin residue on the skin. This is accomplished by essentially sanding them. That is if you have something you donot want to let go of.

 

It seems to me to be an electrolyte imbalance. Medical saline is 0.90% NaCl. I'd say there is much more to this but I'd doubt you be able to wrinkle from such a solution.