Re: Do fingernails and hair really continue to grow after death?

Hi Jenny,

Saw your unanswered question and thought I would get the information to you.

I recently read a book titled "Dead Men Do Tell Tales" by William R. Maples, PH.D. The book is about Forensic medicine and Dr. Maples is a renowned Forensic Anthropologist, a true leader in this field. The book however is not for the faint of heart, it discusses in gruesome detail the cause of death and ultimately the killers identity.

Now, for the answer to your question according to Dr. Maples.

It is a myth that fingernails and hair continue to grow after death. What really happens is that the skin may retract around them, making the hair and nails prickle up and jut out more prominently.

Reference: William R. Maples, Ph.D. and Michael Browning, 1994.
Dead Men Do Tell Tales. (p.39) Doubleday

Hope this satisfies your curiosity.

June Wingert
Microbiology Reference Lab, Houston, Texas