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Cotton balls are small stalks with soft cotton at one or both ends, used for cleaning, applying cosmetics, and crafts. Medical swabs have one cotton tip and are used for cultures and wound cleansing. Cleaning earwax with cotton swabs is discouraged by doctors.
A cotton ball is a small, thin stalk that terminates at one or both ends with a tightly wrapped bunch of soft cotton. Introduced commercially in the 1920s, cotton wool is a common household item in many countries. Its home uses include applying cosmetics, cleaning, and making craft projects. Cotton swabs are also widely used in medical settings.
The design of a cotton ball is simple, comprising just a thin rod wrapped at one or both ends with a cluster of soft cotton. This cane can be made of wood, plastic, or paper that has been tightly rolled. Tampons intended for home use usually measure approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in length, while those intended for medical use generally measure approximately 8 inches (20 cm). Another key difference between household cotton swabs and medical swabs is that household swabs tend to be tipped with cotton on both ends, whereas medical swabs usually have only one cotton tip.
Perhaps the most common home use for the cotton swab is for cleaning earwax from the outside of the ear canal. However, many doctors discourage this practice. This is because inserting a swab into the ear can sometimes push the wax farther into the ear canal, and also because a swab inserted too far into the ear can puncture the eardrum, potentially causing hearing loss.
There are many household uses for cotton wool other than ear cleaning. It can be used to apply or remove cosmetics, especially eye shadow, or to clean small or oddly shaped objects, such as oven knobs or keyboard keys, freeing them of any dust or dirt that might escape from dusters or rags. Cotton buds can also be useful for children as they create craft projects. The small cotton head of the swab makes it a good choice for detailed painting or applying glue to small objects.
Apart from these household uses, the cotton swab also has several medical applications. For example, it is commonly used to swab certain areas of a patient’s body during a culture. It can also be soaked in antibacterial solutions and used to cleanse wounds. Also, the cotton ball can be used to apply ointments to minor cuts and scrapes as well as stitched skin. Cotton swabs found in doctor’s offices and other medical settings are often wrapped in a paper sleeve to preserve their sterility before use.
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