Do hair and fingernails continue to grow after death?

Brainy Blonde

No. Hair and fingernails aren't actually growing. Dead is dead. The only things growing after you're dead are worms, bacteria, and flowers. What is happening, however, is that the skin around the hair and fingernails will desiccate (i.e., lose water) and thereby shrink. When the skin shrinks, it retracts, making hair and fingernails look longer, as if they'd grown. http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhairgrow.html Jan 07 03, 10:39 PM

hummerh3

No! The skin dries up, shrinks, and retracts, making it seem like hair and fingernails have grown. http://www.snopes.com/science/nailgrow.htm http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhairgrow.html Also see Q#69951 http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question69951.html Feb 14 04, 6:19 PM