(The title is a little vague so let me explain)
This is research for a creative piece i’m writing. I’ve tried google but since the question is quite specific nothing gives me a straight answer.
If you were to press down on the skin of a corpse that had been dead for around 3 weeks, what would happen? I’m aware that rigor mortis is over by now and putrefaction is taking place so the skin would seem soft, but would the skin burst open upon harsh contact, would it sort of crumble away, or would it remain the same?
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At three weeks it would be in advanced stage of decay. Probably the skin had melted off and the organs liquefied.
I pick dead folk up for a living and it honestly all depends on the conditions they’ve been left in but let’s say just a bog standard dead person can still look alright after 3 weeks but if you press down too hard on their skin you can get still bruise if you press down too hard.
You may also get skin slip which is like when you get a blister after touching something hot and if you burst it the skin sorta keeps to the side.
That’s usually if they’re elderly and a little fragile anyway.
If someone has started to turn green and all that then if you press down your finger would sorta just squelch into their flesh without much force.
My relative touched the cheek of an unembalmed corpse in a casket and her finger went through the cheek. She was little and probably had the same question as you.