Morphologic patterns of lip prints in a sample of Sudanese population: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The outer surrounding surface of the lips has elevations, depressions, normal lines, and fissures in the form of wrinkles and grooves present in the zone of the transition of the lip which can be used in the identification of a person. Aims: The aim was to determine the predominant type of lip print among a sample of the Sudanese population and to assess the relation between lip print with age and gender. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among 394 (150 males and 244 females) adult Sudanese participants living within the Khartoum city. Those with a history of lip injury, congenitally deformed lip, children, very old or coming from the eastern region were excluded. Red lipstick impression with a white chart paper in the normal rest position of the lips by dabbing it in the center first and then press it uniformly toward the corners. Lip print type was assessed according to Suzuki and Tsuchihashi's from type 1 to type V. Comparison between variables by Chi-Squire with the level of significance set at P value of <0.05. Results: Result showed a unique different type of lip print among peoples coming from different regions and different tribes in Sudan. Type I was predominantly among the studied population and the least was type V. The predominant type of lip print among those their origin is from the Northern was type I (32.6%), type II was among those from Southern (28.6%), and type I' among those from Western (33.3%). There was no statistical significance difference between the type of lip print among male and female or between different age groups. Conclusion: Type I' lip print pattern was most common type of lip print pattern among the studied population with no association between age or sex and lip print type. Increasing sample size and conducting the examination on participants from different regions in Sudan, can eliminate any confounding factors and gives valid and reliable findings.