A simple cotton swab is used every day in a variety of applications in the medical field, the beauty industry, and at home. Cotton is the material of choice because it can absorb liquids and it's always soft and gentle to the skin. Check out the number of options available.
Sterile vs. Non-Sterile: Cotton swabs and applicators come in several different forms but can be both sterile and non-sterile depending on the environment it's being used for. Individually-wrapped swabs such as McKesson Sterile Cotton-Tipped Applicators provide a sterile product that can be used in a sterile environment such as a doctors office or a cleanroom. Using sterile wooden cotton swabs are necessary when collecting specimens for testing to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Non-Sterile swabs are packaged in bulk and will come straight out of a box without being individually wrapped.
Oral vs. Other Uses: Sometimes a cotton swab is no good when working in a certain area such as the mouth. A toothette, for instance, is a swab stick that can be applied inside the mouth for cleaning or gathering a sample. Other cultural swabs can be used to collect saliva samples for strep-testing or other needs.
Individuals vs. Boxes: When looking fora few specific swabs to collect specimens, there are plenty of single swabs available. Tightly-packed boxes are also available and are typically unwrapped, unless a box of sterile swabs is required and therefore each swab will be individually packaged.
