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 7 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (2 children)

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/

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 2 points 27 minutes ago

How does what you linked conflict with what OP said?

[–] alywindows3@feddit.org 1 points 16 minutes ago

The PubMed paper you linked actually explains the exact same mechanism stated in the post—vasoconstriction and vasomotor firing driven by the sympathetic nervous system, rather than passive osmotic swelling.

Appreciate you linking the Wilder-Smith review though, it’s a great addition for anyone wanting the deeper clinical neurophysiology.

[–] username_1@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 2 hours ago (5 children)

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

[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 16 points 1 hour ago (2 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 8 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

"Moisturizer, my one weakness!"

[–] 5765313496@lemmy.world 4 points 36 minutes ago

His name's not Moisturizer, it's Moist Man!

[–] grue@lemmy.world 1 points 17 minutes ago

If you turn it up to 11 you get Nightcrawler's gecko hands.

[–] pelya@lemmy.world 9 points 2 hours 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 3 points 2 hours 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 2 points 2 hours 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 2 hours 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 2 hours ago (1 children)

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

[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Are you implying that scrotum skin isn't dignified?

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

[–] alywindows3@feddit.org 2 points 16 minutes ago

Fair point, my sincere apologies to the scrotum skin community haha.

[–] brem@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours 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 4 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Detachable ~~Penis~~ Pinky

[–] brem@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour 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 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)
[–] brem@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

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