# Why did my feet get so pale?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-feet-get-so-pale/593429>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 20, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-feet-get-so-pale/593429 "2011-08-20T14:10:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-feet-get-so-pale/593429/1 "2011-08-20T14:10:15Z")

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A few nights ago I got my shoes/feet wet. I wore them for several hours. When I took them off, my feet were so much lighter. How did damp shoes cause this effect?

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**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-feet-get-so-pale/593429/2 "2011-08-20T15:35:04Z")

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Same thing when you take a band-aid off, and the skin underneath is all gross and pale and wrinkly? Whatever causes that?

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**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-feet-get-so-pale/593429/3 "2011-08-20T17:27:09Z")

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WAG - The outer layers of your skin are usually somewhat dry and transparent, getting them wet makes them less transparent.

For band aids I’ve really only experienced it as a tiny tan line.