this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2026
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Common myth: skin wrinkles in water because of osmosis/swelling.

Reality: it is an active, involuntary vasomotor response. The nervous system constricts blood vessels under the skin to form ridges—acting like tire treads to channel away water and improve grip on wet objects. Patients with severed median nerves don't wrinkle at all.

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[–] IjonTichy@lemmy.world 5 points 45 minutes ago* (last edited 39 minutes ago)

AI slop, source links also incorrect. This is a waste of everyone's time.

Because i got curious: Water immersion skin wrinkling is an indicator of limb sympathetic function. Routine clinical usage of this enigmatic phenomenon is hampered by poor endpoint quantification, which involves counting skin folds. The recent discovery of the importance of vasoconstriction in immersion wrinkling suggests digital blood flow or volume changes as better endpoints. Water probably initiates the wrinkling process by altering epidermal electrolyte homeostasis as it diffuses into the porous skin of the hands and soles via its many sweat ducts. Altered epidermal electrolyte homeostasis would lead to a change in membrane stability of the surrounding dense network of nerve fibers and trigger increased vasomotor firing with subsequent vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction, through loss of volume, leads to negative digit pulp pressure resulting in a downward pull on the overlying skin, which wrinkles as it is distorted. The degree of wrinkling would directly depend on the change in digit tip volume and implies any process inducing loss of digit volume will precipitate wrinkling. This review discusses the physiology of water immersion wrinkling and explores its potential as an indicator of limb sympathetic dysfunction.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15095056/

[–] username_1@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 1 hour ago (5 children)

So theoretically there might be a possibility to acquire an ability to wrinkle myself at will? Cool!

[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 11 points 59 minutes ago (1 children)

ability to wrinkle myself at will

That's gotta be the shittiest superpower...

"I'm Superman! I fly at supersonic speed!"
"I'm Aquaman! I breathe underwater!"
"I'm Wrinkleman! I camouflage as a giant scrotum!"

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 5 points 28 minutes ago

"Moisturizer, my one weakness!"

[–] pelya@lemmy.world 9 points 1 hour ago

Future genetically enhanced super-soldiers: bulging bicepses lined with testosterone ampules, merciless eyes with sclera flooded red, and permanently wrinkled butt cheeks, for better grip of course.

[–] alywindows3@feddit.org 2 points 1 hour ago

Haha, unfortunately it's strictly controlled by the autonomic nervous system (same system as goosebumps and pupil dilation), so voluntary control is locked out. Would make a wild party trick though!

[–] Damarus@feddit.org 1 points 1 hour ago

Well you see, it's called the autonomous nervous system for a reason. It just does its thing and you don't have direct control over it.

[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 6 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I always thought finger skin that's been wet long enough got confused and took itself for clammy scrotum skin.

[–] alywindows3@feddit.org 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Lmao, new evolutionary hypothesis unlocked! Thankfully the actual biology is slightly more dignified than that haha.

[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 2 points 1 hour ago

Are you implying that scrotum skin isn't dignified?

With an attitude like that, no wonder it's frowning...

[–] brem@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Tell that to my very smooth pinky finger which lives in a warm coffee mug.

Reality: it's actually in someone's butthole. Very detachable. I rent it out on the weekends.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 3 points 42 minutes ago (1 children)

Detachable ~~Penis~~ Pinky

[–] brem@lemmy.world 2 points 27 minutes ago (1 children)

*Detachable Penis" is already a song

She's got a detachable penis, detachable penis... Zappa? No, someone else. Catchy tune.

Btw, catch!

Throws sloppy dong

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 2 points 26 minutes ago (1 children)
[–] brem@lemmy.world 2 points 24 minutes ago

Ding dong! Two points for catcher of schlong!! Correct!