Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 1

A Study of Lip Prints among Kerala Population

1Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Azeezia Institute of Medical Sciences, Kollam, Kerala, India

2Post graduate student, Department of Pathology, S. Nijalingappa Medical College, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India

3Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Mysore Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka, India

*Corresponding author: Mallikarjun S Ballur Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Azeezia Institute Of Medical Sciences, Kollam-691537, Kerala, India Email: drmallikarjunballur@gmail.com Mobile no-09539027062

Online published on 2 January, 2016.

Abstract

Human identification is based on scientific principles, mainly involving estimation of age, sex, fingerprints, measurement of height, dental records. Just like these methods, lip prints can also be instrumental in identifying the sex which is vital for establishing the identity of an individual. The study of lip prints is known as cheiloscopy. The main objective of study was to find out accuracy of sex determination through lip prints.

The study was conducted on 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students of Azeezia medical college, Kollam. Subjects were 100 males and 100 females of the state of Kerala, aged between 18 and 25years. Details of the study were explained to the subjects and lip prints taken and analysed as per the Classification given by Tsuchihashi.

Type I was the most common lip print in total subjects and males. Type III predominated in females. Type I, I’, II constituted majority of females. Type III, IV, V predominated in males.

The results obtained in our study do not prove it to be an infallible method. But it still seems to open a small window to a vast unventured field. The need of the hour is to develop a standardized method to assess and accurately record the cheiloscopic patterns.

Keywords

Lip Prints, Identification, Cheiloscopy, Sex Determination