The Benefits of Hydrophobic Skin

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Written by Jennifer Geer

Published: January 14, 2025

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Beautiful shot of a blue-tailed day gecko
Wirestock/iStock via Getty Images

When something is hydrophobic, it repels water. When water is dropped on a hydrophobic surface, rather than spread out over the object, the water forms droplets. Some plants, animals, and insects have hydrophobic surfaces and will repel water instead of getting wet.

When you watch the video above, you can see exactly how a gecko’s skin repels water. The little gecko sits calmly while someone takes a water dropper and places droplets of water along its back. The droplets stay put until the gecko moves, and then they simply roll off its back as its skin stays dry.

madagascar giant day gecko

Scientists are studying geckos to learn more about how we can replicate some of their amazing abilities like their water-repellent skin.

Where Do Geckos Live?

There are around 1,500 species of geckos living around the world. They live in warm habitats in a variety of places including rainforests, deserts, and urban areas. There is even a species of gecko, the Atlas Day gecko, that thrives in the cold mountain ranges of Morocco. In the U.S., geckos are common in Texas, Florida, California, and other southern states.

Why Does the Gecko’s Skin Repel Water?

The benefit of hydrophobic skin is that it is self-cleaning. When water droplets land on the gecko’s skin, and then roll away, they take with them any dirt or contaminants. This keeps the gecko’s skin clean and free from fungi, bacteria, or other disease-causing substances.

How Does It Work?

A gecko’s skin is made of scales that look like rounded domes underneath a microscope. Each of these domes is covered by tiny hairs or spines, so small you can only see them when viewed from the microscope. These tiny hairs are packed tightly together. The layers of tiny hairs, or microspines, prevent water from reaching the gecko’s skin. Instead, the water sits on top of the hairs and rolls off the surface as the gecko moves around.

How Nature’s Hydrophobic Skin Is Inspiring Technology

Scientists can learn a lot from observing nature. For example, NASA scientists have created a robot that can grip surfaces by imitating the nano hairs on a gecko’s foot. Scientists are also interested in replicating how a gecko’s skin repels water.

Hydrophobic surfaces can be used in a variety of applications including windows, solar panels, power plants, surfaces that never ice up, and glasses that won’t fog over. Beyond keeping surfaces dry, hydrophobic surfaces (like the gecko) have natural, self-cleaning properties.


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About the Author

Jennifer Geer

Jennifer Geer is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on animals, news topics, travel, and weather. Jennifer holds a Master's Degree from the University of Tulsa, and she has been researching and writing about news topics and animals for over four years. A resident of Illinois, Jennifer enjoys hiking, gardening, and caring for her three pugs.

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