 FAIR: Hair and nails do not continue to grow after one dies, as Dr.  Chapin asserts. The illusion of growth is created by the shrinkage  of the flesh surrounding the hair and nails. However, the belief in  growth after death has become so ingrained in common folklore that  it is not surprising to see it used as "fact" in a horror film; such  films play on our fears and knowledge of folklore to achieve their  effects.