Cotton swab

Other uses for cotton swabs include first aid, cosmetics application, cleaning, infant care, and crafts.

[3][4] 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.

She also owned a patent on the article, numbered 1,652,108, dated December 6, 1927, and sold the product under the appellation Baby Nose-Gay.

[9] In 1925, after The Leo Gerstenzang Co., Inc. purchased an assignment of the product patent from Mrs. Forbis, the packages of applicators were labelled 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.

Plastic swab stems exist in a wide variety of colors, such as blue, pink, or green.

Cotton swabs are also commonly used for cosmetic purposes such as applying and removing makeup and touching up nail polish, as well as for household uses such as cleaning and arts and crafts.

Once taken, the swab can be streaked onto an agar plate, or the contents of the tip removed by agitation or dilution into the broth.

Swabs are a primary tool for collecting patient specimens, vital for accurately detecting pathogens, DNA sampling, and disease diagnosis.

[14] 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.

[18] 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.