What Does a Dead Body Look Like After 2 Weeks?
Death is one of the greatest mysteries of life that has astounded humanity ever since we were living in caves and hunting mammoths. What does a dead body look like after 2 weeks? How difficult is it to remove a 14-day-old corpse from a building and clean up that place for future tenants? We’ll answer these questions in this BioClean blog.
It’s basically a question about decomposition, a natural process in which the human body breaks down post-death. Normal cleanup can’t deal with human remains… especially if they are two weeks old! You need professionals to handle unattended deaths like that.
What Does a Dead Body Look Like After 2 Weeks? Human Body Decomposition
How long does it take a body to decompose? You may wonder what happens to the body of a person after their demise, especially when two weeks have already passed. The body of a deceased individual goes through five major stages.
The decomposition process can pick up speed due to factors like temperature, humidity, & location. For instance, apartment bathrooms can make this process go 2x faster.
Air-conditioned rooms will delay the onset of rot in a corpse. So, let’s go through these five stages.
Autolysis (0 to 72 Hours)
What does a dead body look like after 2 weeks? Well, we should stick to what happens to a dead body during the first three days.
- Death stops the circulation of blood
- Cells don’t get the oxygen they need to stay alive
- Cell membranes rupture, and this rupture releases digestive enzymes
- These enzymes turn the dead body’s tissues into a liquid soup
- Rigor mortis peaks at the 12th hour (relaxing by the 3rd day as ATP depletes)
- You see glossy blisters on that person’s skin
- Livor mortis pools blood downward that creates purple discoloration
- The odor is minimal at this stage; purge fluids start leaking from orifices
Bloat (3 to 10 Days)
When three days pass, anaerobic bacteria become overpopulated in the person’s gut. This is what you see:
- Gases like methane and hydrogen sulfide swell the person’s abdomen
- The person’s abdominal skin splits and releases foul, dark purge fluid
- Marbling appears when bacteria migrate veins beneath the skin
- The odor from the dead body becomes pervasive and attracts bugs
- Flies start depositing eggs inside the person’s orifices within hours
Active Decay (10 to 21 Days)
The period between the 1st week and the 3rd week after a person’s death is what we call the age of liquefaction.
- Organs and muscles become adipocere (corpse wax) and black putrid slurry
- Gases escape through these splits, as 70% of the body mass is consumed by maggots
- Walls of the apartment absorb gallons of the fluids released by the body
- Subfloors delaminate permanently
- Odor gets so strong that it even affects electrical outlets and ductwork
Some corpses turn into mummies naturally, as this process prevents decay by removing all traces of moisture from the body, preserving it for generations.
Advanced Decay (3 to 8 Weeks)
Upon viewing a body 3 weeks after death, you realize that the soft tissue structure has collapsed inward. Bones become exposed. One can see cartilage and hair as the only remaining evidence of the person this corpse used to be! When a body remains hidden for one month or two, these things happen:
- Liquids evaporate and leave greasy stains behind
- Adipocere forms a protective skin-like layer that decelerate this breakdown
- Contaminants dry into crystalline residues that aerosolize easily
- Porous materials (like your drywall) now need complete removal
Skeletonization (Over 2 Months)
How long does it take for a corpse to decompose? Well, it may take decades for the body of a human to decompose 100%. But skeletonization can occur after a few weeks or even months. The skin mummifies. The person’s skeleton emerges (coated in the dried residue we discussed above). The person’s hair and nails detach on their own.
You can expect fewer hazards at this stage. But DNA fragments are still there… and may persist for years to become. As a property manager, you are at risk if an unattended death happens in an apartment you own. You should call professionals for cleanup.
What does a dead body look like after 2 weeks? You now know the answer! The BioClean Team deploys EPA-licensed technicians in full hazmat gear compassionately. We specialize in managing every stage across San Diego, Riverside, Phoenix, and Southern Nevada. You will get licensed, insured, and available 24/7 when an undiscovered tragedy strikes.
