White hair on Igor

[GlennM]

In Donnie Eischer's audio book Dead Mountain, he obtains an interview with Igor's surviving sister Tatiana. She states that except for the familial gapped teeth she and her brother have, at burial ,his body looked quite unlike himself. Notably his skin was darkened and his hair white. Later, Donnie indicates that ultraviolet exposure and mummification may account for the skin tone. It does not explain the white hair. Hair does not instantly go white, it is not living tissue. This leads me to think that there may have been bleaching. Bleach will lighten hair, but this post mortem sanitation measure would surely have been applied to the others. Too, I would presume that soap and water would have sufficed since the bodies were frozen when brought to the morgue. I'd not use a bleach concentration as a first choice. Even so, bleaching of the skin would surely have been the priority, not the hair.  This is a peculiar observation of the physical anomality Does anyone have something to add in this regard?

[KathleenDSmith1]

Everyone:

If there is an issue with Igor's body, Pull Igor's body from the grave and do a DNA testing with his sister....


Thanks
Kathleen Dee Smith

[Manti]

UV exposure also lightens hair, at least my hair becomes a lighter shade in the summer. But the problem with this explanation is that the Dyatlov Pass area is very cloudy in winter/early spring, days are also quite short. There are virtually zero sunshine hours

[eurocentric]

First of all, welcome back Glenn.

Igor Dyatlov looked very recognisable when laid out on the slab. Then he is said to be almost unrecognisable at his funeral when presented in an open casket. So something happens between these two events to change his appearance, like a reverse makeover.

Besides bleaching hair and dissolving ear wax, hydrogen peroxide can be used as a potent disinfectant, and had the undertakers used the stuff liberally on Igor's skin and hair, to mask the smell of cadaverine, and they overdid things with neat solution, then I guess that overnight the bleaching effect might turn his hair white.

In the case of the ravine bodies they would likely attempt to reconstruct the faces with modelling clay and paints, working off a UPI photo, which might explain some of the orange skin.

[Ziljoe]

First of all, welcome back Glenn.

Igor Dyatlov looked very recognisable when laid out on the slab. Then he is said to be almost unrecognisable at his funeral when presented in an open casket. So something happens between these two events to change his appearance, like a reverse makeover.

Besides bleaching hair and dissolving ear wax, hydrogen peroxide can be used as a potent disinfectant, and had the undertakers used the stuff liberally on Igor's skin and hair, to mask the smell of cadaverine, and they overdid things with neat solution, then I guess that overnight the bleaching effect might turn his hair white.

In the case of the ravine bodies they would likely attempt to reconstruct the faces with modelling clay and paints, working off a UPI photo, which might explain some of the orange skin.

I'm not familiar with the" white hair " report by Igor's sister and question it's authenticity. Like you say, when on the slab , Igor looks like Igor . I'm not sure how invasive the autopsy was on the first 5 bodies. For example, cutting the skull open etc.

As I understand it, the first 4 funerals were open casket to the upper part of the body only. Shoulders up.

I don't think the ravine 4 bodies were open casket. They were badly decomposed , way past clay and paints. It is written that Lynda father insisted on seeing her body and was deaply upset for obvious reasons.

The orange or rust of the skinn of hypothermia victims is quite well documented. The colouring of the skin is a known thing. No mystery there. I don't think the ravine 4 had much skin left. . I could be wrong.

[Axelrod]

Donnie Eicher confused Dyatlov's sister and Doroshenko's sister. This is what Sister Doroshenko Irina said. Dyatlov's sister was 12 years old.

[GlennM]

Thanks for the feedback. I can't think of how Igor's complection gives an indication of his death by other cause than hypothermia. I do not believe something external like radiation, fear, trauma nor anything else would produce his appearance.  I do believe that his sister was observant enough and impressed by his appearance as to recall it so many years later.
It is just one more puzzle piece.