Myth 3: Hair and Fingernails Continue to Grow After Death
The belief that hair and nails continue to grow after death has been perpetuated through various cultural references. This is all in spite of forensic evidence and biological understanding challenging the veracity of this myth. Think about it: Growth of anything requires energy. It requires certain processes to occur inside your body, along with a certain intake of energy and liquids. If you are dead, you are not eating or drinking. You are not taking in or expending any energy. How could anything, including hair and nails, grow under these conditions? Now, there is a phenomenon that can occur after death which causes the appearance that nails are continuing to grow. This is the dehydration and drying of the skin, which then contracts. This reveals more of the fingernails themselves, which were once hidden under the skin. While the nails may appear longer, they are not. They are the same length as before, just more exposed.