Cheiloscopy: Study Of Lip Prints In Establishing Identity Of An Individual

ABSTRACT

Background: The challenges faced by man in early days to provide the identity of an individual. Identity meansdetermination of distinctiveness of a person, which is very important in legal medicine and criminal investigation.Cheiloscopy is a forensic investigation that deals with the identification based on lip traces. The lip prints areindividualistic like the finger prints and do not undergo alteration during the life of an individual. The aim of thepresent study to assess the lip print pattern of different individual in different quadrant of lip and to evaluate thelip prints for their uniqueness.Materials and method:The study was conducted on 100 medical students (50male and 50 females) of 18-23years from A.J.Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore. Lip stick was applied on the lips and print was takenwith the help of white bond paper. While studying the lip print 4 quadrants were made on the lips as upper rightand upper left and lower right and lower left. Predominant pattern in each quadrant is obtained by using Suzuki’sclassification and result s are analyzed statistically by calculating the percentage for each pattern in eachquadrant of lip.Result: The present study showed type 1(vertical) was the overall most common pattern among both male andfemales.In males, 40% were having type1(vertical), 26.5% of type3(branched), 13.5% of type2(partial length),12% of type 5(intersected) and 8% of type4 (reticular).In females, 37.5% were having type1(vertical), 22.5% of type2(partial length), 22% of type3(branched), 11% oftype 4 (reticular),and 7% of type 5(intersected).Conclusion: Study revealed that the lip prints pattern for each individual in each quadrant is unique. Lip printpatterns are constant do not change with time.Because of its uniqueness and constant nature it can be used inthe personal identification mainly for criminal and legal investigations.