What is the name of the rare condition where a person has no fingerprints?

The rare condition in which a person has no fingerprints is called adermatoglyphia. It results from the absence or abnormal development of the friction ridges that create the distinctive patterns on fingers, palms, toes, and the soles of the feet.

Adermatoglyphia is often inherited and has been linked to changes affecting the SMARCAD1 gene. Some people have few other symptoms, while others may also experience unusual blistering or reduced sweating on the hands and feet. Because fingerprints are used for identification, the condition can create practical problems at border crossings, immigration offices, and security checkpoints.

The condition is sometimes nicknamed “immigration delay disease” because affected people may have difficulty providing fingerprint-based biometric records. That nickname describes a real inconvenience, not a separate medical diagnosis.

A common mix-up is dermatoglyphics, which is the scientific study of skin-ridge patterns, not the absence of fingerprints. Anhidrosis means an inability to sweat, while hyperhidrosis means excessive sweating; neither term specifically describes missing fingerprints.