Why does the skin on the extremities wrinkle after a bath?
by 
The Curious Bag
ANSWERS: 1
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After a long bath or a swim in the pool, you notice that the skin on your fingertips and toes becomes wrinkled. There is a simple explanation for this that involves a substance in your skin called keratin.
Keratin in Your Epidermis
As your epidermis--the outer layer of your skin--grows, it pushes cells rich in a protein called keratin to the surface.
Keratin and Water
Keratin loves water, and it absorbs a lot of it when soaked. When keratin absorbs water it is said to be hydrated.
Keratin in a Bath
When you take a bath, the keratin in the surface layer of your skin absorbs water and expands, but the layer just underneath does not. This causes wrinkles in your skin.
On Your Toes and Fingers
The formation of wrinkles occurs more quickly on your toes and fingers because these are areas of your body with the smallest surface area.
Why the Wrinkles Disappear
The wrinkles disappear quickly as the water evaporates from your skin. The keratin loses the absorbed water and shrinks back to its normal size.
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