A bizarre simulation has shown why fingers wrinkle after you’ve spent a decent amount of time in the water.
You’ve probably gotten out of a swimming pool or even the bath before and wondered why on earth your fingers seemed to have aged about ten years.
Well, there’s actually a scientific reason to this, while a simulation video uploaded by the trusty Zack D. Films has explained why you ‘wrinkle in the water’.
The video showed how people with nerve damage don’t seem to wrinkle at all when submerged in water, which led to experts working on a study to get down to the bottom of things.
Scientists ultimately discovered it’s the nervous system that ‘constricts’ the blood vessels – because there is less blood flow, it causes the skin to wrinkle.
Essentially, this gives your hands and feet better traction underwater, which is certainly useful considering the dangers that come with water.
Many have flocked to the comments of the YouTube simulation video, with the majority praising its maker for the informative video.
“Glad this guy exists. I’m learning more and more just by watching these,” one person said while a second added: “Man this guy really answering those random 3 AM questions. What a teacher!”
While a third remarked: “Bro is answering all our childhood questions at this point.”
Neurologists Einar Wilder-Smith and Adeline Chow, who were working at the National University Hospital in Singapore at the time, got to the bottom of the wrinkly hand debate.
The experts took measurements of blood circulation in the hands of volunteers as they soaked them in water and made a huge discovery as the volunteers’ fingertips began to wrinkle.
Ultimately, there was a very noticeable drop in blood flow to the fingers.
Nick Davis, a neuroscientist and psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK and a self-confessed fingertip wrinkling expert, said: “It makes sense when you look at your fingers when they go wrinkly.
“The finger pads go pale and that is because the blood supply is being constricted away from the surface.”
Some experts believe pruney fingers could have maybe given our ancestors an edge in years gone by.
Meanwhile, wrinkly fingers could have allowed for a better advantage when it came to walking over wet rocks or gripping branches.
I mean, they did do that back in the day, I imagine.
So, there you have it – that’s why fingers wrinkle when wet.
