Hair Growth After Death
Q: I heard that hair does not stop growing once you die. I would like to know if this is true or not. If so, how long does it keep growing afterward?
A: This is actually a myth, although there is a small grain of truth behind the initial misunderstanding.
When a person dies, the heart stops beating and oxygen is no longer delivered throughout the body. However, not every cell dies instantly. While brain cells perish within minutes, skin cells and hair follicles can remain cellularly viable for a short period afterward, depending on surrounding conditions.
Why do so many people believe that hair and nails keep growing after death?
The answer lies in post-mortem dehydration:• Skin Shrinkage: As fluids evaporate from the body, the skin begins to dry out, shrink, and retract. Around the scalp and face, this retraction pulls the skin back and exposes the hidden base of the hair shaft that was previously underneath the surface.
• The Nail Bed Effect: The exact same process happens to hands and feet. As the soft tissue around the nail bed dries up and pulls back, the nails appear noticeably longer.
• Tissue Changes: As muscles stiffen after death, the tiny muscles attached to hair follicles can contract, pulling the hairs upright and making stubble look thicker and more prominent.
In reality, the hair and nails have not grown at all. They simply look more prominent because the surrounding skin has receded. It is an extraordinarily convincing optical illusion, which is why the myth has persisted for generations. In modern mortuary science, embalmers actually use specialized moisturizers to counteract this drying effect and maintain a natural appearance for open-casket viewings.
In short, hair does not continue to grow after death. Any apparent increase in the length of the hair or nails is simply an optical illusion caused by the natural changes that occur in the skin as the body dehydrates.
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
Hair myths
What is hair made of and how does it grow?