How Do My Fingerprints Form?

Fingerprints are unique to each individual, even among identical twins, due to genetic and environmental factors. The main fingerprint patterns—whorls, loops, and arches—are influenced by genetics, while finer details, or minutiae, are affected by environmental conditions during fetal development. Fingerprints form between the sixth and tenth weeks of fetal growth, as volar pads develop and then integrate into the skin. The shape and timing of these pads, influenced by genetics, determine the fingerprint pattern. Environmental factors, such as the fetus's position in the womb, further contribute to the uniqueness of each fingerprint.

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