A comparative study of latent fingerprint quality after using different types of hand care products recorded via fingerprint scanner

Abstract

Currently, crime is becoming increasingly severe, making fingerprint evidence at crime scenes crucial for accurate personal identification. Fingerprint technology has advanced from traditional ink methods to digital scanners, offering greater convenience and accuracy. However, external factors such as hand care products may impact fingerprint quality. This study aimed to examine the effects of four hand care products,  hand sanitizer, skin care oil, hand lotion, and petroleum jelly as well as the time elapsed after application on the quality of fingerprints recorded using a scanner. Volunteers applied each product and had their fingerprints scanned at different time intervals. The prints were analyzed using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to assess minutiae. Results showed that neither the type of products nor the time elapsed significantly affected fingerprint quality. Among the products, petroleum jelly provided the clearest fingerprints, followed by hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and skin care oil. All samples consistently showed more than 10 identifiable minutiae points, indicating that high-quality fingerprints can still be obtained using a scanner even after applying hand care products. This confirms the reliability of digital fingerprint scanning for accurate identification, regardless of product use or time since application.