Cheiloscopy as an adjunct to forensic identification: a study of 600 individuals

Cheiloscopy deals with examination of system of furrows on the red part of human lips. The present study was undertaken to classify lip prints, study their variations, determine the most common pattern in the study population, evaluate differences in lip prints between males and females and between different age groups, ascertain whether there is any hereditary pattern and thereby investigate their potential role in personal identification. Lip prints of 600 individuals, including 52 families, of ages ranging from 3 to 83 years were obtained using lipstick and two kinds of adhesive tape. The lip prints were analyzed using Adobe® Photoshop® software and classified according to Tsuchihashi classification. Patterns of lip prints occurred in diverse combinations. The patterns were similar between males and females and varied among different age groups. Some hereditary resemblance was observed between parents and offspring. Lip prints have a good potential for use in criminal investigations. They have been used only occasionally despite their frequent occurrence at crime scenes. A place for cheiloscopy is recommended within the scope of forensic odontostomatology, along with other means of forensic identification.