Why is a fingerprint left on everything someone touches?

Question

I'm just curious as to why all smooth flat surfaces hold the impression of your finger tips.

Answer 1

If you wear gloves you can touch whatever you want and not leave prints.

Answer 2

Oil on your skin will come off, and make a pattern on an object. This is how even the most careful criminal gets caught, because there is always a layer of oil on your skin.

Answer 3

very part of your body has oil on it.

Its like a foot print

Answer 4

Body oils, dude.  Same reason your hair gets greasy if you don't shower.  Us humans are a secretin' sort.

Answer 5

Fingerprints may be deposited in natural secretions from the eccrine glands present in friction ridge skin (secretions consisting primarily of water) or they may be made by ink or other contaminants transferred from the peaks of friction skin ridges to a relatively smooth surface such as a fingerprint card

Answer 6

Your assumption is untrue.  Latent prints come from the oils on your skin.  When some people put their finger tips on some surfaces under some conditions, the oil remains there.  Then, the oil can be detected.  Despite what you see on TV, finding usable fingerprints is actually pretty rare.