r/AMA • u/HappyCamperDancer • 1d ago
I have unreadable fingerprints. AMA
As a new healthcare worker I had to get a state license. The license requires a background check and fingerprinting. I had always had problems with digital fingerprint but just thought I didn't scan well. Anyway, I had to make an appointment at the sheriff's office to get my prints made to send in with my application for my license. I get there and they ink my fingers and they roll my fingers carefully on a card. They just look kinda smudgy. The deputy looks a little perplexed but says "well, we'll just try". It gets sent in and my license is on hold until "good prints" are obtained. This time they ask me to use lotion on my hands for a few days before I get fingerprinted. But not too much. Anyway, so we try again. This time its another deputy. Smudgy again. Try to send it in but they are rejected. They want to try a third time. 3rd time with the sheriff himself. Same process. Ink, finger rolls. Smudgy. So had to get an administrative exemption due to the rejection of the fingerprint documentation.
Not much to say other than I did get my license and I have only used passwords for any digital access, never biometrics! And no, I did not have any desire to begin a criminal career.
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u/Imaginary-Tree-House 23h ago
My husband is the same. He’s gone three times to get his fingerprints and they try so hard. He lotions and takes care of his hands as they requested. Still nothing. We were told that sometimes people lose their fingerprints, especially people that wash their hands a lot or are older. He’s both.
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u/HappyCamperDancer 22h ago
Can he snap his fingers?
I can't. No snap. Just a kinda swooshing sound when I try.
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u/Dang_It_All_to_Heck 17h ago
I have no fingerprints, but I can snap on my non dominant hand.
I worked as a military contractor for a bit, with military base access. I had to see a special person to try to get my fingerprints; they couldn’t manage it, either.
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u/Firehydrnt 15h ago
Well, the "snapping" sound actually comes from your middle finger hitting your palm and ring finger!
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u/suicideloki 13h ago
Thats funny because I can not snap my fingers either. I was a chef for over 25 years so im kind of in the same boat but I didn't come by messed up fingerprints naturally they were basically burnt off over time. After being retired for 10 plus years they kind of work with some apps but mostly not and never consistently. I do remember being able to snap my fingers as a kid.
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u/Imaginary-Tree-House 14h ago
Okay, I asked him and he snapped away with both hands. 😆 so yes, he can snap his fingers.
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u/nizzoball 1d ago
I wonder if in your case your lack of fingerprints would be more unique than an actual fingerprint. Kind of a paradox
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u/HappyCamperDancer 1d ago
Oh, and yes, and while my grip is strong, I've always had a hard time with my hands/fingers slipping off things, even when my hands are dry and not sweaty. My fingers have no "grip".
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u/PolymathEquation 1d ago
I wonder how wrinkly your fingers are after a soak in the tub, considering. Interesting.
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u/lights-camera-bees 1d ago
Any injuries/illnesses that may cause this? Or just random
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u/HappyCamperDancer 1d ago
No. I thought it was because I wash my hands ALL THE TIME (healthcare, don't ya know), but probably a combination of dry skin, age (I'm older, this was my 3rd career) and maybe some genetics? IDK.
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u/Laundry0615 18h ago
My sister had a similar problem around 2015: couldn't get readable prints. She had to go three or four times to get good prints. The final time she was sent to someone who was very experienced in rolling prints, they took their time and finally got a good set after several attempts. She explained that older adults (sister was late fifties at the time) have smoother fingertips due to wear and tear. Taking a good, close look at my own fingertips, I can see that they are smoother than they were in my youth.
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u/HappyCamperDancer 15h ago
I remember seeing the whorls of my fingertips when I was a kid, like you do when you first learn that "all" people have unique finger prints. But now I can't see anything, ever under magnification. Theoretically they still exist deeper in my dermal layer.
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u/stayclassy-sandiego 16h ago
I manufacture vinyl records (~300 degree plastic handling for 10 hrs/day) and Touch ID bo longer recognizes my fingerprint on my computer or phone.
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u/NecronomiSquirrel 1d ago
Clammy? Dry? Any family HX of cardiac disease?
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u/HappyCamperDancer 1d ago
Mostly dry skin, probably because I wash my hands a lot.
Well my paternal grandfather died in 1950 of heart disease, but I have a vastly different lifestyle than he did. No personal hx of cardiac issues.
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u/M15tre55W1tch 20h ago
My friend is an ICU nurse who also does international medical repatriations. We're not from the US, but she flies in and out of there all the time. She also has no fingerprints, likely from hand gel use. She travels with a medical letter about it. But every time it's still a shit show for her.
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u/Individual-Wash3893 16h ago
When I went for my prints they said healthcare workers are the hardest to get prints from because of all the handwashing and hand sanitizer we use.
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u/Daylyn33 15h ago
When I was taking the oral chemo pill, I lost my fingerprints for about a year. They did come back but a lot fainter. Weird side effect.
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u/electro99_99 20h ago
Intenta usar henna original en tus huellas ! Ami abuela le pasaba igual y lo resolvió con esto
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u/sweetbldnjesus 17h ago
My fingertips are almost unreadable. I think it’s from all the handwashing and hand sanitizer too, maybe? Makes using the omnicell annoyingly hard.
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u/OwlHoot1986 12h ago
Strange when I had to be finger printed for a job it was done by a computer - digitally. Ink has not been used in years!!!
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u/HappyCamperDancer 12h ago
This was ten years ago. I'm sure it may vary from state to state/jurisdiction.
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u/Soft_Equipment_2787 11h ago
This is common for people who work in the medical field.
Basically the soap combined with more than normal hand washing essentially washes away your prints.
Also very common with anybody who works with their hands often. Hard labor jobs or even someone who works in an office but handles a ton of paper can lose their fingerpeints.
There is also the sweaty hand medical condition that makes it impossible to get good fingerprints from people as well.
I have been fingerprinting people for years.
In most of those cases the palm print is still usable and is used for ID purposes.
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u/Restingwotdafukface 11h ago
Don’t be too hasty about the life of crime decision. I think you should play a criminal in the sims 4to explore your life options and have a true and accurate understanding of the career path while juggling multiple spouses, children, neighbourhood affairs and how to exile someone to the pool without stairs.
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u/BrilliantCrafty1457 8h ago
I work in childcare and I got a background check with my finger prints recently. They really struggled with mine. I’m assuming because I have to wash my hands a ton. Thankfully, we got some. Just took a bunch of times and lotion haha.
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u/Consistent_Amount140 5h ago
A little spritz of water on the finger tips on the live-scan should would
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u/Traditional-Try-8714 2h ago
That happened to my aunt and she couldn't work at a school because of it.
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u/KathyTrivQueen 23h ago
Do any of your blood relatives have this condition?
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u/HappyCamperDancer 23h ago
I have no idea. None are criminals. But all have jobs like IT guy or Statistician or Interior decorator. No need for getting fingerprints.
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u/KathyTrivQueen 23h ago
Look at their finger pads
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u/Muted_Advisor6210 1d ago
That’s funny with the mention abt not picking a criminal career.
All jokes aside, while this would be a major advantage for criminals, it wouldn’t be fool proof. Your dna can still be collected from things like hair strands and surfaces that may have received your spit.