Identification of sex using lip prints : A clinical study

AIM: To determine the sex of an individual from the configuration of lip prints. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 200 first to final year BDS students of K. D. Dental College and Hospital, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. All the subjects (females = 100, males = 100) belonged to the age group of 17–26 years. Non-glossed lip stick color, white bond paper, cellophane tape, scissors, and magnifying lens were used for identification. Length and thickness of the upper and lower lips were measured with sliding calipers. For all the lip prints, the thickness of the lip was measured at the center of the lip. RESULTS: Overall accuracy by the examiner was found to be 81% (out of 200 participants, 162 were diagnosed correctly) and distribution of lip patterns showed a statistically significant difference between the genders (P ≤ 0.05). For the upper lip, the average difference in lip thickness found between males and females was 3.8 mm. However, the average difference for the lower lip between males and females was 2.9 mm. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the lip prints of the subjects did not match with each other. The study reveals that lip prints behold the potential of determination of the sex of the person.