Abstract

Dermatoglyphics is the investigation of ridge patterns on hands and feet. Dermatoglyphics are created in the fetus by the 12th week and are under solid yet not restrictive hereditary influence. There have been applications of dermatoglyphics in various fields but its relevance to diseases has not been explored in the Indian context. The present review focuses on the history, embryogenesis, theories, and topology of dermatoglyphics with emphasis on the various studies in India. The databases that were searched for the keywords ‘dermatoglyphics’ and ‘medical diseases’ were EBSCO host, Academia and Google scholar. Out of the obtained results, 40 studies were selected as per the relevance to the topic. This review highlights the utility of dermatoglyphics in different areas of science. Dermatoglyphics can be essentially used as a potent tool for diagnosis of medical conditions. Dermatoglyphics also offers the advantage of being a simple, cost - effective, and non-invasive screening tool for the prediction of disorders having a genetic predisposition.

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