When Gregory finally reached the shore, he removed his gloves and got a good look at his hands. They were almost unrecognizable. “I was a little surprised,” he says. Gregory was suffering from a condition called “warm water immersion foot,” which can affect the hands as well. It occurs when water gets trapped on the skin by gloves or socks. “When the skin is left in this condition for hours, the top layer, called the stratum corneum, absorbs the water. It becomes soft and easily damaged,” says Maya Debbaneh, a dermatologist who treats skin disorders at Union Square Dermatology in San Francisco, California.
Luckily, the condition is temporary. Gregory’s hands started to return to normal a few hours after they dried out. “Reflecting on the experience now, I’m truly amazed at what our bodies are capable of,” he says.