FREQUENCY OF THE LIP PRINTS TYPE AMONG PASHTUN MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS OF JINNAH MEDICAL COLLEGE

Objective: To assess the frequency of lip print patterns of pashtun male and female students of Jinnah Medical College. Background: Lip prints are valuable in forensic odontology for personal identification, particularly when other evidence is unavailable. These unique, lifelong patterns vary by population and gender. This study focused on Pashtun male and female students in Peshawar to examine the frequency and distribution of lip print patterns, providing population-specific forensic data. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed lip prints of 500 Pashtun students (294 males, 206 females) at Jinnah Medical College, Peshawar, aged 22-28, using convenience sampling. Participants meeting the inclusion criteria (Pashtun ethnicity, current enrollment, and consent) had their lip prints collected with frosted lipstick on bond paper. Prints were classified using Tsuchihashi & Suzuki's method. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0, with chi-square tests for gender associations. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Results: Type II lip prints were the most common (22.4%), with a higher frequency in males (59.8%) compared to females (40.1%), but the p-value (0.66) indicated no significant gender difference. Other types (I, I', III, IV, and V) showed varying frequencies, but none revealed statistically significant differences between genders. Conclusion: No significant gender differences were found in the distribution of lip print types among Pashtun students. Type II lip prints were the most prevalent, slightly more common in males. These findings suggest lip print patterns are not influenced by gender in this population.