Editing Fingerprint (section)

== Absence or mutilation of fingerprints ==
A very rare medical condition, [[adermatoglyphia]], is characterized by the absence of fingerprints. Affected persons have completely smooth fingertips, palms, toes and soles, but no other medical signs or symptoms.<ref name="Burger-2011">{{Cite journal
| last1 = Burger
| first1 = B.
| last2 = Fuchs
| first2 = D.
| last3 = Sprecher
| first3 = E.
| last4 = Itin
| first4 = P.
| title = The immigration delay disease: adermatoglyphia-inherited absence of epidermal ridges
| journal = J Am Acad Dermatol
| volume = 64
| issue = 5
| pages = 974–980
|date=May 2011
| doi = 10.1016/j.jaad.2009.11.013
| pmid = 20619487
}}</ref> A 2011 study indicated that adermatoglyphia is caused by the improper expression of the [[protein]] [[SMARCAD1]].<ref name="sciencemag.org">{{cite web
 |title       = The Mystery of the Missing Fingerprints
 |date = August 4, 2011
 |url         = https://www.science.org/content/article/mystery-missing-fingerprints
 |url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20160216063520/http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/08/mystery-missing-fingerprints
 |archive-date = February 16, 2016
}}</ref> The condition has been called ''immigration delay disease'' by the researchers describing it, because the congenital lack of fingerprints causes delays when affected persons attempt to prove their identity while traveling.<ref name="Burger-2011" /> Only five families with this condition had been described as of 2011.<ref>{{cite journal
| title = A Mutation in a Skin-Specific Isoform of SMARCAD1 Causes Autosomal-Dominant Adermatoglyphia
| journal = American Journal of Human Genetics
| volume = 89
| issue = 2
| pages = 302–307
| doi=10.1016/j.ajhg.2011.07.004
| pmid=21820097
| pmc=3155166
| date=August 2011
 | last1 = Nousbeck | first1 = J | last2 = Burger | first2 = B | last3 = Fuchs-Telem | first3 = D | display-authors = etal }}</ref>

People with [[Naegeli–Franceschetti–Jadassohn syndrome]] and [[dermatopathia pigmentosa reticularis]], which are both forms of [[ectodermal dysplasia]], also have no fingerprints. Both of these rare genetic syndromes produce other signs and symptoms as well, such as thin, brittle hair.
[[File:Altered Fingerprints of Alvin Karpis.jpg|thumb|Criminal [[Alvin Karpis]] had his fingerprints surgically removed in 1933]]
The anti-cancer medication [[capecitabine]] may cause the loss of fingerprints.<ref name="pmid19470576">{{cite journal
|vauthors=Wong M, Choo SP, Tan EH | title = Travel warning with capecitabine
| journal = Annals of Oncology
| volume = 20
| issue = 7
| page = 1281
|date=July 2009
| pmid = 19470576
| doi = 10.1093/annonc/mdp278 | doi-access = free
}}</ref> Swelling of the fingers, such as that caused by [[bee sting]]s, will in some cases cause the temporary disappearance of fingerprints, though they will return when the swelling recedes.

Since the elasticity of skin decreases with age, many [[senior citizen]]s have fingerprints that are difficult to capture. The ridges get thicker; the height between the top of the ridge and the bottom of the furrow gets narrow, so there is less prominence.<ref>{{Cite journal
 |url         = http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=lose-your-fingerprints
 |title       = Can You Lose Your Fingerprints?
 |journal     = Scientific American
 |last        = Harmon
 |first       = Katherine
 |date        = March 29, 2009
 |url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120418063918/http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=lose-your-fingerprints
 |archive-date = April 18, 2012
}}</ref>

Fingerprints can be erased permanently and this can potentially be used by criminals to reduce their chance of conviction. Erasure can be achieved in a variety of ways including simply burning the fingertips, using acids and advanced techniques such as [[plastic surgery]].<ref>[http://biometrics.cse.msu.edu/projects/fingerprint_alteration.html Fingerprint Alteration] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602074604/http://biometrics.cse.msu.edu/projects/fingerprint_alteration.html |date=June 2, 2012 }} Biometrics research group, Michigan State University.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://biometrics.cse.msu.edu/Presentations/SoweonYoon_IAI2010_FingerprintAlteration.pdf |title=Fingerprint alteration |access-date=September 14, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711204442/http://biometrics.cse.msu.edu/Presentations/SoweonYoon_IAI2010_FingerprintAlteration.pdf |archive-date=July 11, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.csee.wvu.edu/~ross/pubs/FengJainRoss_AlteredFingerprint_TechReport09.pdf |title=Fingerprint alteration |access-date=September 14, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718030051/http://www.csee.wvu.edu/~ross/pubs/FengJainRoss_AlteredFingerprint_TechReport09.pdf |archive-date=July 18, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scafo.org/library/120604.html |title=Changing of fingerprints |publisher=Scafo.org |access-date=September 14, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718025941/http://www.scafo.org/library/120604.html |archive-date=July 18, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.forensic-medecine.info/fingerprints.html |title=Fingerprints, detailed information |publisher=Forensic-medecine.info |access-date=September 14, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910123640/http://www.forensic-medecine.info/fingerprints.html |archive-date=September 10, 2012 }}</ref> [[John Dillinger]] burned his fingers with acid, but prints taken during a previous arrest and upon death still exhibited almost complete relation to one another.<ref name=abel>{{Cite news
 |url         = http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/07/21/to_avoid_id_more_are_mutilating_fingerprints/
 |last        = Abel
 |first       = David
 |title       = To avoid ID, more [Americans] are mutilating fingerprints
 |newspaper   = Boston Globe
 |date        = July 21, 2010
 |url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100723181627/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/07/21/to_avoid_id_more_are_mutilating_fingerprints/
 |archive-date = July 23, 2010
}}</ref>