Myth: Fingernails and hair grow after death.

The myth I researched is that fingernails continue to grow after one is dead. Many people have seen or reported that corpses’ fingernails look longer after a few days or hours. The perception is a common one due to a natural effect that gives the observer the idea that the nails are growing. One of the reasons why this myth is even around is because of Erich Remarque’s popular book, All Quiet on the Western Front, in which the narrator describes the nails of his dead friend twisting into corkscrew like shapes.

The perception that fingernails grow after death is caused by dehydration( loss of water). As the body dehydrates, the skin pulls back around the nail folds, revealing part of the hidden nail and causing the illusion that the nail actually grew. The same effect happens to hair on the body. The skin dries up, revealing the roots of the hair and making it look longer. Many funeral homes fix this problem by using substances to keep the skin moist. For hair and nails to grow, there needs to be hormonal regulation and also a blood supply for the hair follicles. For an informanitive video on the subject watch:

http://www.healthguru.com/content/video/watch/102074/Do_Hair_And_Fingernails_Grow_After_Death

The myth that hair and nails grow after death is clearly false. Most of the information I gathered was found from New Scientists.com, which is the website of a popular science magazine. On the website there were people from various universities making statements on how and why the myth was false.

Citing:

www.snopes.com/science/nailgrow.asp

www.newscientist.com/.../mg19426072.500-life-after-death.html

www.healthguru.com

http://anatomyphysiology.suite101.com/article.cfm/do_hair_and_nails_continue_to_grow_after_death