Table of contents:
- Human fingerprint function
- So, can fingerprints change?
- Fingerprints remain unchanged, but can be lost
Fingerprint is a unique identity because everyone has a different fingerprint. Not a single person in this world has the same or the same fingerprint pattern as other people. So, can someone's fingerprint change? Come on, find out the answer below.
Human fingerprint function
Fingerprints consist of curves, lines, and waves that form a pattern.
If you look at the skin of your fingers, there will be curves that form a pattern. You can see the pattern clearly, when your finger is lightly dipped in the paint and pasted onto the paper. The patterns that appear on the fingers are what you know as fingerprints.
These fingerprints begin to form in the womb, that is, during the first trimester. According to a study in the journal Science, fingerprints function to improve the sense of taste. This is evidenced by the increased stimulation of pacini cells, which are nerve endings in the skin that detect texture.
In addition, fingerprints are also used as a marker of a person's identity. This function can help law enforcers know the real personal data of a person, even if he changes his appearance. In fact, fingerprints can also be used as "keys" to access things, such as cell phones and other technologies.
So, can fingerprints change?
Fingerprints can identify a person perfectly, because the pattern is different for each person. In addition, the fingerprint pattern does not change even though the person continues to age over time.
So, it can be concluded that a person will continue to have the same fingerprint pattern throughout his life.
Even if the pattern is permanent, the skin on the fingers can be damaged. This can occur due to various things that affect the outermost layer of skin (epidermis), such as:
- Activities that change the coating, i.e. prolonged exposure to water, such as washing
- Punctured something so that it penetrates the skin deep
- The skin has burns or has certain skin problems
All of these factors will change your fingerprint, but only temporarily. If the wound is treated and activities that damage the layers of the skin are avoided, the skin will recover and the fingerprints will return to the same pattern.
If the cut is bad enough, you may develop new scratches on the skin of your finger. These scratches will indeed affect fingerprints. However, the uniqueness of the previous fingerprint remains so that it can still be recognized.
Fingerprints remain unchanged, but can be lost
A person's fingerprints will not experience permanent changes, but they can be lost, reported on the Scientific American page. This case was experienced by a 62 year old man from Singapore.
After being investigated, the loss of fingerprints on the man was caused by the cancer treatment he was undergoing. The man used the drug capecitabine to cure his cancer.
Capecitabine and several other cancer drugs are known to trigger palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome or ankle-hand syndrome. This syndrome can cause swelling, thickening of the skin, rash, tingling, and burning sensations in the hands and feet.
In severe cases, resilience can appear and the skin will peel off. This severe symptom can damage the appearance of the skin so that fingerprints disappear or are difficult to detect. Fortunately,
