Harden Elkington
Dying is the process of an individual ceasing all integrated bodily functions, while clinical death refers to the state of one’s heart no longer beating.
Although not yet biologically dead, a person undergoing cardiac arrest is considered to be in a “death-like state.”
Because each of us is different, it’s difficult to predict how people will react to the topic of death.
However, in general, people are uneasy about their own deaths.
What often causes this discomfort is the actual process of dying (as well as the dread of a protracted or unpleasant death) rather than being dead itself.
The nature of what happens when people die is less important than the fact that it occurs, and this realization can be terrifying.
Here’s a summary of the body’s transformations in the first minutes and hours following death.
This post informs you about the procedures from the time a person dies through each of the subsequent post-mortem phases.
At the Moment of Death
At the moment a person dies, brain activity ceases, and all of the muscles in the body relax.
Within seconds or minutes (depending on various factors), rigor mortis sets in. This is an involuntary stiffening of some of the muscles, causing what appears to be moving under the skin.
During this early phase, the body’s cells are still alive.
However, without oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the blood, they will soon die off. After a few days or weeks, depending on environmental factors (such as temperature), the body begins to decompose.
Hours after Death
Although rigor mortis dissipates in a few days, the body remains stiff and inflexible for several hours. This is especially apparent in the jaw and neck area.
Sometimes a person’s eyes remain open during this period because of relaxed muscles. In addition, a chemical change causes the body’s muscles to shrink.
This shortens and deepens the eye sockets, giving the appearance that the eyes have sunk into their sockets.
During this time, any violent deaths can lead to post-mortem spasms due to a build-up of chemicals in the blood (sometimes described as resembling epileptic seizures). Spasms can last a few seconds or several minutes.
2 – 4 Hours After Death
After rigor mortis fades, algor mortis (cooling of the body) begins to set in.
This is a natural process in which the body loses heat and cools at a predictable rate, depending on environmental factors such as humidity, oxygen levels, and airflow.
In general, people who die indoors have a slightly lower cooling rate than those who die outdoors.
After several hours have passed, blood begins to accumulate in the back of the eye, causing the pupil to look sunken. During this time, the cornea begins to dry out and turn slightly cloudy or smoky gray in color.
After approximately 12 hours have passed since death occurred, small blisters called blebs to appear on internal organs. These are similar to the blisters that form on the skin after a severe burn.
2 – 4 Days After Death
After two days have passed, the skin of the lips and nose becomes drawn and pulled back, causing the mouth to look open.
The eyes begin to dry out so that they don’t produce tears anymore. Also, the skin begins to lose elasticity, causing it to wrinkle.
After 4 days have passed since death occurred, internal gases released by decomposition begin to cause the body to swell and bloat.
This is temporary for most people because sooner or later (depending on environmental factors) the gas will escape through natural openings in the skin.
Also, the skin tends to darken and turn greenish or yellowish in color. Sometimes, a person’s fingernails and toenails will appear bright pink for a period of time because blood has risen up into them.
This can be alarming if it leads people to think that they are still alive when they really aren’t.
3 Weeks to 2 Months After Death
During this period, most of the internal organs become stiff and difficult to move. In addition, the muscles tend to lose their ability to contract and relax, so they take on a rigid appearance.
Also, fluids begin to drain from the various openings in the body.
After approximately 3 weeks have passed since death occurred, the hair becomes separated from its roots (and sometimes falls out) and begins to grow at about 1/4 of an inch per month due to natural bodily processes.
This is also when people tend to notice that their lips are becoming dry and shriveled, with color changes possibly occurring. After this time, the body’s skin begins to shrink and wrinkle.
2 – 4 Months After Death
The rest of the body’s muscles become stiff. The joints develop a fine coating of calcium salts that give them an ivory-like appearance. Also, the ligaments lose their elasticity so they no longer snap back into place.
Any wounds that the person sustained, including any post-mortem wounds or injuries, can become more pronounced now because of changes in body fluids.
For example, gunshot entry wounds might begin to drain blood and form scabs. A wound on the chest caused by a stab or puncture will bleed more readily because blood vessels tend to lose their elasticity.
Also, the cross-section of organs will appear larger due to shrinkage.
4 – 6 Months After Death
After four months have passed, the skin loses its natural moisture and bacteria starts to consume it at a faster rate than usual.
This gives the skin somewhat of an amber-like appearance.
Also, any remaining fat cells break down and release fatty acids, which appear as small dark spots on the skin. These fatty acids usually originate from the person’s face and breasts because those regions produce more fat than other areas.
6 – 12 Months After Death
After 6 months have passed since the initial death occurred, the surface of the skin will be a greenish color due to the presence of bacterium and algae. In addition, hair that still grows from the body becomes gray by this time.
After 12 months have passed, all of the skin’s original color and texture will be lost, which makes it appear as if it was mummified.
This is because the body’s fluids completely dried up and bacteria can break down fats at a much faster rate. If any hair still grows from the body after this point, it becomes gray or white.
If the person died from disease, those symptoms might show up at this stage because decomposition has removed any blockage that may have been present.
For example, if the person had severe acne before death, it would show up on their skin now. Also, any major injuries will start to fade away so they are barely noticeable by this stage.
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1 – 3 Years After Death
After 1 year has passed, the body’s joints become extremely stiff and they get covered with a fine white powdery substance called adipocere.
This substance is formed when fatty acids combine with the person’s soft tissue in areas where their body fat tends to be most prominent. If you cut the person open at this point, they will likely be very greasy inside.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, dead bodies decompose in stages after the person has died.
In general, the initial stages involve changes in color and body fluids followed by a stage where the body loses its original shape and starts to dry out.
Then, the body will have an amber-like appearance before it becomes mummified.
In addition, any major injuries will start to fade away after a year has passed as well as hair that still grows from the body becoming gray or white. Finally, all of the skin’s original color and texture will be lost after 3 years have passed.
