Cheiloscopy: An aid for personal identification

AIM: Cheiloscopy is a forensic investigation technique that deals with identification of humans based on lips traces. The aim of this study is to establish the uniqueness of lip prints which aids in personal identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised of 200 subjects. The materials used were dark-colored lipstick, paper, cellophane tape, a brush, and a magnifying lens. RESULTS: This study shows that lip prints are unique and permanent for each individual, and the lip prints among family members and between twins revealed different patterns on the whole with few similar grooves suggesting the existence of heredity in the lip prints. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that lip prints are unique to each individual and can be used for personal identification.