Why Do Fingers & Toes Get Pruney in Water?
I take a shower every day, and it doesn't seem like I'm in there very long before I notice my fingertips and my toes start to get pruney or wrinkle. I see it happen all the time, but I never really stopped to wonder why it happens - or why water turns fingers and toes pruney so quickly.
I always thought my fingers and toes got pruney because they were in water and the skin soaked some of it up. That seems like the most logical explanation, but apparently, that's not really why my fingers and toes get that pruney look.
Why Water Turns Fingers & Toes Pruney?
I never would have thought our nerves actually have something to do with it.
When our hands and feet are in water for a while, the tiny blood vessels get narrower. This leaves a little less volume underneath the skin, causing the skin above it to wrinkle.
So our fingers & toes aren't just getting waterlogged. Our body is actually causing those wrinkles to happen.
Why does it mostly happen to our fingers and toes, and not the rest of us when we're standing in the shower?
Why Mostly Our Fingers and Toes?
If water alone caused the wrinkling, you might expect your entire body to come out of the shower looking like a prune.
Thankfully, that doesn't happen – I’m getting wrinkly enough as it is.
The most noticeable wrinkling happens on the hairless skin of our fingertips, palms, toes and soles of the feet.
That's also why you can stand in the shower with water running over your arms, stomach and legs without those areas developing the deep pruney wrinkles.
Why Does It Happen So Fast?
If I'm not soaking in a bathtub for an hour, why can my fingertips and toes start wrinkling during an ordinary shower?
Turns out it doesn't take long at all. Your fingers and toes can start getting pruney after being in water for just a few minutes, but how quickly it happens can vary from one person to another.
The temperature of the water can make a difference as well. Warm water can make your fingers and toes wrinkle faster, which makes sense when I think about how quickly I notice mine in the shower – I take long hot showers.
I don't have unusually fast pruning fingers and toes. I'm just giving them the right conditions to do what they naturally do.
Is There a Reason We Get Pruney?
There is an idea that wrinkles may actually help us hold onto things when our hands are wet. Those grooves on your fingertips when they're pruney, may help move water out of the way to give us a better grip on wet things.
Researchers have tested this, and some research has found that wrinkled fingers helped people handle wet objects more easily.
But, if you’re like me, it does make you wonder if those wrinkles have a purpose besides making our hands look like they've suddenly aged 20 years.
Why Water Turns Fingers & Toes Pruney: Our Nerves?
One of the surprising things I found is that our nerves play a part in all of this. In fact, certain types of nerve damage can keep fingers from wrinkling normally in water.
That's a pretty good clue that pruney fingers might be more than just soaking up too much water.
What If Your Fingers or Toes Wrinkle Really Fast?
Since mine seem to get pruney pretty quickly, this was another question I had.
There really isn't an exact amount of time that everyone's fingers and toes are supposed to take to wrinkle. Some people notice it sooner than others, and warm water can make it happen faster.
So getting pruney during a shower isn't unusual.
But if you suddenly notice something different from what's normal for you, especially if it's only happening on one hand or comes with numbness or pain, or it happens in the absence of water, it might be worth asking your doctor about it.
Otherwise, those wrinkly fingers and toes are just doing what they do.
What to Do After Your Fingers & Toes Get Pruney?
Most of the time, you don't need to do anything about pruney fingers or toes. Once you're out of the water and dry off, you’ve probably noticed the pruning and wrinkles gradually disappear on their own.
But water, especially hot water, can leave your skin feeling dry afterward.
Apply Moisturizer
After towel drying, apply a good moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp. I like this especially for hands and feet, since those are two areas that can get dry pretty easily.
If your hands or feet are really dry, you can use a thicker cream or ointment instead of a lighter lotion.
Turn the Temperature Down
And as tempting as a really hot shower can be, turning the temperature down a little may help if your skin tends to feel dry or tight afterward.
The pruney part doesn't really need a remedy - sometimes your skin just needs a little extra moisture after all that time in the water.
Next Time You Get Pruney
I've probably looked at my pruney fingertips hundreds of times after a shower and never gave them much thought. I just assumed they had soaked up too much water.
Now I know there's actually a little more going on.
Our nerves are involved, our blood vessels are changing, and there may even be a reason those wrinkles show up in the first place.
References
Water-immersion finger wrinkling improves grip efficiency in handling wet objects
