 The Skin Around Them Dehydrates
Contrary to popular belief, nails do not continue to grow after death; the skin dehydrates and tightens, making the nails (and hair) appear to grow.
"Fact: Most physicians queried on this one initially thought it was true. Upon further reflection, they realized it's impossible. Here's what happens: 'As the body’s skin is drying out, soft tissue, especially skin, is retracting,' Vreeman said. 'The nails appear much more prominent as the skin dries out. The same is true, but less obvious, with hair. As the skin is shrinking back, the hair looks more prominent or sticks up a bit.'"[1]
Sources:
-
Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2007)
- Iserson, Kenneth Death to Dust
Tuscon Galen Press, 1994 ISBN 1-883620-07-4 (p 42)
- Jones, Rebecca "If You See a Corpse Sit Up, Vamoose"
[Denver] Rocky Mountain News 25 April 1997 (p D2)
- Maples, William and Michael Browning Dead Men Do Tell Tales New York Doubleday, 1994 ISBN 0-385-47490-3 (p 39)
- The New York Times. "Q&A: How Fast Do Fingernails Grow?"
2 August 1988
Nail (anatomy). (2008, February 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 02:57, February 11, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nail_%28anatomy%29&oldid=190530755
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