Cold Hands

5 Ways to Avoid Post Embalming Dehydration

It is a well known scientific fact that a moist environment encourages bacterial growth that inevitably leads to advanced decomposition.

In life, we need moisture in our bodies to survive and it’s estimated that 60% of the human body is made up of water! In death, when specifically speaking about preservation of human remains maintaining the right amount of moisture in the body is a delicate art and science.

Just 1% in the embalming solution can make the difference between a beautiful supple appearance and devastatingly dehydrated facial features. A botched embalming due to dehydration can alter the deceased’s appearance so much that it can have a devastating effect on the family’s last memory.

I consider moisture my “Frienemy” when it comes to preserving the recently departed for their funeral. Maintaining just the right amount of moisture in the tissues is one of the true arts of preserving the dead. I avoid dehydration that leaves behind pruny looking hands, dry lips and eyelids by using the following standards in my embalming process.

Pro Tips💀

1. Avoid “shooting the juice” inject slow and easy with high pressure 120-140 and low flow 10-12lbs

2. Wait to open the vein for several minutes to build internal vascular pressure in the arterial system

3. Deploy delayed aspiration

4. Use stone oil on face AND HANDS

5. Maintain hydration in the body by touching up the hands and facial features with feature builder immediately post embalming

Hope you like this week’s tips! Until next time Happy Embalming! 💀⚰️💐🧪🥽

Want more tips? Click here https://nxtgen.gumroad.com/l/emb-tips-revealed-vol-1

Attention FLORIDA deathworkers Wed May 27- Sat May 30, 2026 I will be there!! There is still time to register!
Visit my story to click the link and learn more….

On my bday I want to share one of my FAVORITE embalming tips with you!! Arrest Gas Gangrene like a boss!

In my “How to Prepare a Decomp Class,” I teach
Professional Embalmers how to arrest my greatest enemy in the Prep Room-“Tissue Gas”. This enemy of embalmers is a bacterial bad boy that produces a bloating gas in gangrene. This deadly form of gangrene usually is caused by the Clostridium perfringens bacteria. 🦠

Ok science 🧪 nerds!!!! Here we go….

Clostridium perfringens (formerly known as C. welchii, or Bacillus welchii) is a Gram-positive, bacillus (rod-shaped), anaerobic, spore-forming pathogenic bacterium of the genus Clostridium. Clostridium perfringens is ever-present in nature and can be found as a normal component of decaying vegetation, marine sediment, the intestinal tract of humans and other vertebrates, insects, and soil. It has the shortest reported generation time of any organism at 6.3 minutes in thioglycolate medium. (Wiki 2023)

Even though it’s natural it creates terrible problems for morticians (often rapidly), who trying to restore dignity to the dead for a bereaved family. The smell is UGHH so bad!

When a body is infected with this 🦠 bacteria the chances of deformation are great. The deformation of recognizable facial features is partnered with PUTRID odor produced by the waste product of this gruesome bacteria 🦠 that feeds on the dead.

I cancel this odor and kill the bacteria with my super hero embalming chemicals like PHENOL!

Pro Tip
Here’s how I do it💀:

1. Disinfect the entire surface area of the dead human body. Removing ALL skin slip with an abrasive wash cloth.
2. Embalm the body or body part with a 5-7% solution arterially
3. HYPO Inject the compromised tissue with basic dryene or other Phenol based cauterant.

Hope you like this week’s tip! Until next week….Happy Embalming Science lovers!

A wonderful bday gift would be if you would purchase my book today! LINK IN BIO to support me by purchasing Embalming Tips Revealed Vol 1

Rejuvenate fingers and hands by hypo injecting with feature builder

Besides the face, the hands of the deceased are the only part of the body that is usually exposed. So much work goes into the preparation of the body but 95% of what I do to make viewing possible for families is covered by clothing and unionalls (plastic body covering that is used to protect the clothing and casket from bodily fluids).

I pay extra attention to the hands 🙌 and fingertips. When arterial distribution has thoroughly been achieved, after a few days the fingertips may begin to dehydrate and appear pruny.

This looks strange and unnatural for families. The good thing is that it’s simple to restore.

Pro tip 💀: I always use goggles 🥽 to protect my eyes and place a towel under the hands to catch run off as some feature builders have bleaching properties and may ruin clothing.

Use a feature builder and a 22 gauge needle with syringe 💉 to inject (but do not overfill) the fingertip with feature builder containing preservative properties. Voila! Finger restoration is achieved! Follow up with cosmetics if needed.

Hope you like this week’s tip! Until next week Happy Embalming! 💀💉🧤🥽

Want more tips? Go to my link in bio or tap here: https://nxtgen.gumroad.com/l/emb-tips-revealed-vol-1

# mortician

Standing among these markers, I’m reminded how temporary everything is and how little control I really have.

This is part of why I wander through cemeteries. It brings me back to gratitude. It helps me let go of the need to force outcomes and reminds me to trust what’s unfolding in my life.

There is something bigger than me at work, and being here makes that feel real.

Today I’m choosing to appreciate what I have, release what I can’t control, and just be present with it all.

Can you guess what Canadian cemetery this is near 3 Rivers?

Here’s how the science works….

Most hair stylists will agree that a cool water hair rinse will remove excess product without stripping away all the moisturizing ingredients. It is said that a cool (not buckling 🥶 cold) rinse will close down the cuticle cells locking in moisture inside the hair strand. When the cuticle layer is closed the cells lay more smoothly, which makes light reflect better off the hair leading to a fabulous shine in the ⚰️ casket.

Washing with hot or warm 💦 water is the most effective way to deeply clean the hair. But the same thing that makes warm water good for washing makes it bad for conditioning. Using hot water can dissolve lipids, 🩸 blood, and 💀🧪embalming fluid run off but can also create a frizzed lackluster effect under mortuary chapel 💒 lighting.

Pro Tip⚰️ : Use cool water to rinse after embalming, conditioning and shampooing

I spend a few extra bucks on PROFESSIONAL hair shampoo and conditioner. I avoid using mortuary 🧼 soaps or cheap drugstore hair products on the hair of the dead. Adding a professional shampoo and conditioner to your back bar can make a HUGE difference for families and the overall appearance of the recently 💀⚰️deceased for their last big event.

Hope you like this weeks Desairology/Embalming Tip! Until next week…..Happy Embalming 💀🧪⚰️
Want more tips? Visit my story or link 🔗 in bio today!