Fingerprints can change if cut, but only if the cut is deep enough to damage the dermal layer of the skin where the fingerprint patterns are formed.
- If the cut is shallow and only affects the outer layer of skin (epidermis), the fingerprint will regenerate back to its original pattern as the skin heals.
- However, if the cut is deep enough to reach the dermal layer, the fingerprint pattern will be permanently altered, and a scar may form.
This is because the fingerprints are actually formed by the dermal layer of the skin, which contains ridges and valleys that create the unique pattern.
For example, a deep cut that goes through the epidermis and into the dermis will leave a scar, which will change the fingerprint pattern. The scar tissue will not have the same ridges and valleys as the original skin, so the fingerprint will be different.
