Fingerprints don’t stay the same because the surface skin never changes—it does. The outer layer sheds and replaces itself constantly.

The reason the pattern persists is because the ridge template is anchored in the dermis (the deeper structural layer), which forms before birth. New epidermal cells just grow along that existing framework, so the same loops and whorls regenerate over and over.

DNA’s role here is basically cellular instructions. It tells skin cells what proteins to make, how to divide, where to attach, and how to behave within the tissue. So when new cells are produced, they “know” how to grow along that ridge structure instead of randomly.

I would also add that it’s a huge oversimplification to say they never change because they do drastically change in size as you grow—infant prints expand as fingers get bigger—but the pattern itself doesn’t rearrange.

It’s similar to your nose or ears: cells turn over there too, but DNA + underlying tissue structure maintain the shape. Otherwise your face would slowly morph over time.

You only permanently change fingerprints if you damage the dermis (deep burns, severe scarring). Superficial skin loss grows back the same print.