How Decomposition Can Produce Blisters and Skin Slippage

Blisters and areas of loose skin can develop during decomposition. Saukko and Knight describe how the outer skin layer may loosen and fluid may collect beneath it. When the fragile blister ruptures, it can expose a pink surface.

A photograph may show the exposed surface without showing how it developed. The examiner considers the distribution and condition of the surrounding tissue, along with the other postmortem findings. That context helps explain whether the appearance reflects decomposition or another process.

Saukko and Knight, Knight’s Forensic Pathology, 3rd ed. (2004), p. 65