I was told that your hair, toe nails and finger nails continue to grow, is this true? how long do they grow for, when do they ever stop?
2007-02-03 21:48:51 · 18 answers · asked by kim t 2 in Health ➔ Other - Health
your familly would continue to grow along with you bank balance if you had money and never told anyone
2007-02-03 21:55:29 · answer #1 · answered by madoc 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Despite what you may have read,heard or seen in the movies, this is false. Once a person has died all growth of the hair and nails ceases. Hair and nails are produced from cells in the body that depend on nourishment (and calcium), and if the body has shut down, there ain't any of that going round. After death the body dehydrates and the skin around the hair and nails will recede a little making it appear as the deceased's nails and hair have grown. However, it is only an optical illusion. The nails and hair remains the same length as before but more of it is exposed due to tissue shrinkage.
2007-02-04 05:59:55 · answer #2 · answered by curious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a bit of a misunderstanding. When the body dies, all cell growth ceases but as the skin and tissue dry out and shrink, they pull back, giving the appearance that hair and nails are growing; they are not, but the skin is receding making them appear longer. In years gone by, the odd opening of a coffin and the right conditions for desiccation meant that this myth was perpetuated from time to time until people had the right knowledge to understand what was really happening. Even now, the myth persists.
2007-02-04 05:53:38 · answer #3 · answered by Vivienne T 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your hair and nails do NOT grow after death. Because your flesh dries out and shrinks away from the scalp and the base of the nails, it can give the impression that the hair or nails are longer after death than in life. It is just because more of them are exposed.
2007-02-04 06:04:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, is true. Thik how long a flower will grow? If you stop feed something, that thing will stop growing. When you die, your finger nails and your hair will grow as long as your cells are alive...
2007-02-04 06:01:34 · answer #5 · answered by Danciulescu E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Could be true - you see, when you are 'dead' - it just means that something has happened to your body so that you're vital organs have stopped working and there is definitely no recovery. When you're pronounced 'dead' your cells are still functioning to an extent - there are still chemical reactions going on - but because when you're dead something has been taken out of the equation so those reactions can't go on forever, and will only keep going to an extent where everything has been used up and cannot generate any more chemical reactions.
2007-02-04 06:16:40 · answer #6 · answered by m l 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right, they grow for a month or so I think. Nails and hair are dead cells as it is even though you are living so they do continue to grow as long as the flesh can sustain growth.
2007-02-04 05:52:43 · answer #7 · answered by sticky 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ya hair and nails continue growing due to keratin.
2007-02-04 05:54:19 · answer #8 · answered by Lancelot 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your hair and nails do keep growing after you die but only for about half a day, they will die as well once your body stops providing nutrients for them to continue.
2007-02-04 05:54:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it gives the impression that nails, hair etc continues growing but it's only because the epidermis shrinks.
we're talking millimetres.
2007-02-04 05:54:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is true, but they grow for a very long time. They probably stop growing, but I'm not sure.
2007-02-04 05:54:08 · answer #11 · answered by Cat Fanatic 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋