What Is Embalming? Everything You Need to Know

When a person is going to be cremated at one of the funeral homes in Rocklin, CA, their family will usually opt not to have them put through the embalming process. But when a person is going to be buried, it’ll be a different story. Oftentimes, families will request that their loved ones be embalmed prior to their burials, especially when they’re going to hold viewings for them. If your family is thinking about doing it, you should make sure that you know everything you need to know about the embalming process in advance. Find out more about embalming below.

What is embalming?

Embalming is a process that is used to preserve a person’s body for a lot longer than it would last otherwise. Almost as soon as a person dies, their body will begin to decompose. It can make it challenging for their family to hold Rocklin, CA funeral services for them. By embalming a loved one’s body, a family is able to preserve their body so that they can hold the funeral services that they would like.

What does the embalming process involve?

The embalming process is very detailed and highly scientific. But in layman’s terms, it starts with a funeral home draining the blood from a person’s body and replacing it with embalming fluid. It also involves taking cavity fluids out of a person’s body and putting preservatives in their place. By doing this, a funeral home can extend how long a person’s body will last so that they continue to look like themselves during their funeral services.

How long will a person’s body last after embalming?

A person’s body obviously isn’t going to last forever following the embalming process. But it should last for at least a few extra days, if not a week or longer. There are many factors that can have an impact on how long a person’s body lasts after embalming, but as long as your family doesn’t wait too long, you should be able to stage funeral services for a loved one after having them embalmed. You should speak with your specific funeral home about exactly how much extra time the embalming process will buy you.

Does a person have to be embalmed?

While some families like the idea of having their loved ones embalmed, others would prefer not to embalm their loved ones at all. If you fall into this category, you should know that you don’t have to embalm your loved one if you don’t want to. You can also choose to skip the embalming process altogether. You might just have to be a little bit quicker to put burial or cremation plans into place for them since you won’t have very long before your loved one’s body begins to decompose.

Does your family want to learn more about the embalming process and all that it entails? If you do, our Rocklin, CA funeral home can break it down for you even further. Reach out to us today to talk with a funeral director about how embalming works or other services we have.