LIP PRINTS

The wrinkles and grooves visible on the lips have been named by Tsuchihashi as sulci labiorum rubrorum The imprint produced by these grooves is termed lip print , the examination of which is referred to as cheiloscopy The grooves are heritable and are supposed to be individualistic Lip prints, therefore, can constitute material evidence left at a crime scene, much like fingerprints

CLASSSIFICATION
Lips were first classified by Santos into 2 categories: o o o o o o o Simple wrinkles Straight line Curved line Angled line Sine-shaped curve Compound wrinkles Bifurcated Trifurcated Anomalous

 Tsuchihashi later proposed a separate classification, dividing the pattern of grooves into six types: Type I- clear cut vertical grooves that run across the entire lip Type I - similar to type I, but do not cover the entire lip Type II- branched grooves Type III- intersected grooves Type IV- reticular grooves Type V- grooves that cannot be morphologically differentiated

Type I- vertical

Type I - intersecting

Type II- branching

Type III- reticular

Type IV- undetermined

A combination of these grooves may be found on any given set of lips To simplify recording lips are divided into quadrants similar to dentition a horizontal line dividing upper and lower lips and a vertical line dividing right and left sides By noting the type of groove in each quadrant, the individual s lip print can be recorded Lip prints are usually left at the crime scene and can provide direct link to th suspect Traditionally, the use of lipsticks were essential to leave behind colored traces of lip prints In recent years, however lipsticks have been developed that do not leave any visible trace after contact with surfaces such as glass, clothing, cutlery or cigarette butts Nevertheless, these lip prints are characterized by their permanence and produce persistent lip prints that can be recovered days after being produced Although invisible, Alvarez and associates have shown that these prints can be developed and visualized using agents such as aluminium powder and magnetic powder Ball states that the vermillion border has minor salivary glands and the edges of the lip have sebaceous glands with sweat glands in between . The secretions of oil and moisture from these enable development of latent lip prints in most crime scene

DISADVANTAGES OF LIP PRINT INVESTIGATION

A major disadvantage of lip print investigation pertains to doubt about the permanence of lip patterns While they remain unchanged throughout one s life, Sivapathasundharam and coworkers have cautioned that major trauma to the lips can result in scarring Surgical treatment that rendered to correct any abnormility also affects the size and shape of lips, thereby altering the pattern and morphology of grooves Tsuchihashi states that another disadvantage is the anatomic position of lip grooves on the zone of transition close to the vermillion border- a zone which is extremely mobile Also the pressure applied and its direction may alter the lip prints