thumb|220px|A cotton swab

Cotton swabs (American English) or cotton buds (British English), also Q-tips (proprietary eponym, American English), are wads of cotton wrapped around a short rod made of wood, rolled paper, or plastic. They are most commonly used for ear cleaning, although this is not recommended by physicians. Other uses for cotton swabs include first aid, cosmetics application, cleaning, infant care, and crafts. Some countries have banned the plastic-stemmed versions in favor of biodegradable alternatives over concerns about marine pollution.

History

thumb|A pack of 54 Q-tips

The first mass-produced cotton swab was developed in 1923 by Polish-American Jew Leo Gerstenzang after he watched his wife attach wads of cotton to toothpicks to clean their infant's ears. His product was originally named "Baby Gays" in recognition of their being intended for infants before being renamed "Q-tips Baby Gays", with the "Q" standing for "quality". The product eventually became known as "Q-tips", which went on to become the most widely sold brand name of cotton swabs in North America. The term "Q-tip" is often used as a genericized trademark for a cotton swab in the United States and Canada. It was formerly owned by Unilever and had over $200 million in US sales in 2014. "Johnson's buds" are made by Johnson & Johnson.

However, according to the United States Patent Case (C-10,415) Q-Tips, Inc. v. Johnson & Johnson, 108 F. Supp. 845 (D.N.J. 1952), it would appear that the first commercial producer of cotton-tipped applicators was Mrs. Hazel Tietjen Forbis, who manufactured them in her home. She also owned a patent on the article, numbered 1,652,108, dated December 6, 1927. In 1925, Leo Gerstenzang Co., Inc. purchased an assignment of the product patent from Mrs. Forbis. On January 2, 1937, Q-Tips, Inc's president, Mr. Leo Gerstenzang, and his wife Mrs. Ziuta Gerstenzang formed a partnership and purchased from Mrs. Forbis "All merchandise, machinery, and fixtures now contained in the premises 132 W. 36th Street and used by said Q-Tips, Inc., for the manufacture of Q-Tips or medicated swabs together with the accounts receivable of said Q-Tips, Inc." The contract recited that Q-Tips, Inc. was the owner of patents covering the manufacture of applicators. In 1926, the legend was changed to read "Q-Tips Baby Gays", and in 1927 an application was made to register the mark "Q-Tips Baby Gays". Sometime after 1926, the words "Baby Gays" were dropped and the concern began to develop "Q-Tips" as its identifying mark, applying for registration on September 14, 1933.

Cotton swabs are also often used outside of the field of personal hygiene:

  • They are often used in the construction of plastic model kits, for various applications during the application of decals or painting. Special brands of cotton swabs exist for this purpose, characterised by sturdier cotton heads and varied shapes of those heads.
  • They can be used in the dyne test for measuring surface energy. This use is problematic, as manufacturers differ in the binders they use to fix the cotton to the stem, affecting the outcome of the test.
  • They are frequently used for cleaning the laser diode lens of an optical drive in conjunction with rubbing alcohol. Similarly, they are used for cleaning larger computer parts such as video cards and fans. They were also widely used in the past to clean video game cartridges.

Role in medical diagnostics

The importance of swab technology in medical diagnostics is immense. Swabs are a primary tool for collecting patient specimens, vital for accurately detecting pathogens, DNA sampling, and disease diagnosis. The collection's precise nature and the swab's quality are critical in ensuring reliable test results.

Nasopharyngeal swabs for respiratory virus detection swabs for efficient DNA material collection swabs to assess the presence of microbial infection in sterility and prevention of contamination.

Medical risks

thumb|Cotton swabs in a round container

Using cotton swabs in the ear canal has no associated medical benefits and poses definite medical risks. Cerumen (ear wax) is a naturally occurring, normally extruded, product of the external auditory canal that protects the skin inside the ear, serves beneficial lubrication and cleaning functions, and provides some protection from bacteria, fungi, insects, and water.

Attempts to remove cerumen with cotton swabs may result in cerumen impaction, a buildup or blockage of cerumen in the ear canal, which can cause pain, hearing problems, ringing in the ear, or dizziness, and may require medical treatment to resolve. The use of cotton swabs in the ear canal is one of the most common causes of perforated eardrum, a condition which sometimes requires surgery to correct.

A 2004 study found that the "use of a cotton-tip applicator to clean the ear seems to be the leading cause of otitis externa in children and should be avoided." Instead, wiping wax away from the ear with a washcloth after a shower almost completely cleans the outer one-third of the ear canal, where earwax is made. In the US between 1990 and 2010, an estimated 263,338 children went to hospital emergency rooms for cotton swab injuries, accounting for an estimated annual hospitalization of <!-- 263338 / 20 -->13,167 children.

Environmental impact

Plastic cotton swabs are often flushed down the toilet, increasing the risk of marine pollution. Some manufacturers and retailers have stopped making and selling plastic swabs and are only selling biodegradable paper versions.

The European Union instated a ban on the use of plastic-stemmed cotton swabs in 2021. Italy had previously instated a ban in 2019 and Monaco in 2020. England, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Man each instated a ban between 2019 and 2021.

See also

  • Cotton pad
  • Ear pick

References