# Why fingerprints not change over time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 28, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411 "2013-10-28T03:35:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BambaSaysMamba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BambaSaysMamba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BambaSaysMamba)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/1 "2013-10-28T03:35:08Z")
Since we lose skin everyday, why do the fingerprints not change over time? if I have a cut in the finger will the new grown skin have the same pattern? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/2 "2013-10-28T05:37:25Z")
Cuts/scars do leave marks on the fingerprints. But there’s still many other unique landmarks they can count and use for identification. Interesting that people who rough up their hands working have less easily identifiable prints. But, I’d guess a new, more legible prints could be taken if they were in jail for awhile? I’ve wondered about guitar players. They build up thick callus after years of playing. > **[Who What Why: How durable is a fingerprint?](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19740979)** > > American Haans Galassi lost several fingers in a wakeboarding accident several months ago. Now one of them has been found in a trout - and identified as Galassi's from its fingerprints. So how long do fingerprints last? > [@](#): > > The vast majority of people are born with a unique set of fingerprints which remain the same for life. > > These patterns, known as friction ridges by experts, are found not only on our finger-tips but also on the flanges of our fingers, on our palms, our toes and on the soles of our feet. > > The patterns are permanent, but can wear down. Builders who lay bricks and people who frequently wash dishes by hand lose some of the detail. Once they stop these activities, the ridges will grow back. > > As fans of crime movies will know, from time to time people have tried to change their fingerprints patterns artificially. > > A deep cut through the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, and down to the dermis leaves a scar that will change a fingerprint, but not make it any less unique. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/3 "2013-10-28T11:46:27Z")
Because the part of your skin that actually grows has a unique pattern that was established early in your development. There is no reason that wear on the dead surface layer of your skin would change the deeper, living parts. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/4 "2013-10-28T12:09:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve wondered about guitar players. They build up thick callus after years of playing. Not after years. It’s fairly rapid thing. However, if your fingering is correct the callus will be found on the very tip of the finger and will not affect the area that leaves a fingerprint. This is, of course, also true for other string instruments as well, not only guitars. ---
**Author:** ![rockystone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47c2d/32.png) [@rockystone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockystone)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/5 "2013-10-28T13:23:36Z")
What would happen if you actually peeled off the skin? would they grow back identical to the original set? How thick a layer(s) of skin would need to be removed? Could you change your fingerprints by having the skin deeply surgically removed (Perhaps in stages, over time)? > [@](#): > > Because the part of your skin that actually grows has a unique pattern that was established early in your development. There is no reason that wear on the dead surface layer of your skin would change the deeper, living parts. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/6 "2013-10-28T14:14:01Z")
You can also lose your fingerprints from non-use as some quadriplegics have found out. Some people’s fingerprints are very thin to begin with. My wife had to get fingerprinted on three separate occasions because they could not get a good lift on them. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-fingerprints-not-change-over-time/672411/7 "2013-10-28T14:28:21Z")
When I was doing archeology in college and washing all the potsherds buy rubbing in water, it caused all my fingertips to be smooth. No ridges whatsoever. They came back a couple of weeks after stopping. probably could do the same thing by rubbing on very fine sandpaper. Something to think about before my next crime spree.