India, July 1 -- Have you ever felt like your skin tightened or weathered after a swim in the ocean? According to a new study, exposure to salt water changes the mechanical properties of human skin and nearly doubles its stiffness compared to fresh water. Led by Guy K. German from Binghamton University, the research was published in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials.

The study aimed to understand why the skin, especially on the face, feels like 'leather' after a day at the beach. Researchers found that the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin, acts like a biological raincoat. It prevents water from escaping the body and blocks harmful substances from entering.

When this thin barrier is damaged, h...