Is it possible to change our fingerprints?
Since fingerprints exist exclusively on the topmost layer of our skin, there are many ways in which they can be altered, although the effect is usually temporary. Any repetitive abrasion to the skin can wear down the ridges, which is why veteran bricklayers can sometimes lose their fingerprints. Exposure to acids and bases, like agricultural lime, can also ‘erase’ fingerprints, at least until the epidermis grows back over 30 days.
In extreme cases, criminals have intentionally burned or otherwise scarred their hands in an attempt to disguise their fingerprints. However, the only permanent way to change your full set of fingerprints would be to undergo a double hand transplant, which although medically possible, does seem a little excessive.
Answered by Dave Roos.
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