I took an exceptionally long soak the other day when I was chilled to the bone. I could not warm up no matter how many layers of clothing I put on or even while bustling around the house doing chores, so I opted for a hot bath. When I aim to prolong the experience, I refrain from blasting the hottest water so I can last a long time without overheating. I did just that and ended up lasting well over an hour and really would have kept going if it were not for the shriveling skin on my fingers and toes. So why do we get pruney anyways? From an evolutionary standpoint, new research finds that the wrinkles helped feet and hands grip better in wet conditions. Imagine humans foraging for food through streams of wet, slippery rocks. While these scientists say the trigger originates from the nervous systems as an adaptation to environment, other experts explain the wrinkles from the cellular level.
https://www.livescience.com/26097-why-fingers-pruney-water.html