How does a callus know to keep growing thick and hard?

369 views

When you get a callus, if you shave it off it grows back to the same thickness. How does the skin know that in the area its job is to be thick and rough now? How does it know how much you shaved off and to grow back that much?

In: 8

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

It doesn’t “know” that. It is actively Reacting to your environment.

When you work with your hands-in whatever way, lifting weights, swinging an axe, carrying things, whatever-you cause Tony tears and damage to your skin.

Calluses form as a response to that area of your skin being repeatedly damaged like this, not because it “knows” you need a callus there ahead of time. So if you stopped damaging your skin, your body would stop forming calluses. There are just some places on the body that get used and damaged a lot, like the palm/fingers of your hands.

Edit: tiny not Tony

You are viewing 1 out of 4 answers, click here to view all answers.