Cheiloscopy- Different methods of identification

As we trend in the era of technological advancements and medical breakthroughs, the human race continues to face stiff uphill challenges in the form of crimes & heinous activities which produce irreversible damage. Nevertheless, the collateral effects of these negative activities create shattering effects on the lives of the victims, family & friends. Though little can be done to repair the damage inflicted, the prosecution of the perpetrator and the identification of the victim is essential. It is in this juncture; the field of forensics comes into the picture. The forensic specialist plays a pivotal role or a link in between the medical & legal fields, in identification of the victim & the perpetrator. Forensic medicine primarily deals with establishing the time & cause of death while forensic dentistry is used to establish the identity of the individual based on the dental records. Cheiloscopy is derived from the Greek word cheilos – lip, and skopein—to observe. It is the terminology given to the study of lip print patterns. Lip prints are normal lines and grooves present in the zone of transition of the human lip, between the labial mucosa and the skin. The arrangement of the lip prints is unique to each individual just like the fingerprints. Research studies and information regarding the use of lip prints as evidence for personal identification, although old are scanty. The recording and analyzing of lip prints is also very easy, less tedious and non – expensive. This is in stark contrast with DNA fingerprints where the processing is difficult and time consuming and needless to mention the cost factor involved in the processing of lip prints.