Cotton pad
Encyclopedia
Cotton pads are pads made of cotton
which are used for medical
or cosmetic
purposes. For medical purposes, cotton pads are used to stop or prevent bleeding
from minor punctures such as injections
or venipuncture
. They may be secured in place with tape
. Cotton pads are used in the application and the removal of makeup. Cotton pads are also soft enough that they can be used to clean babies
. Cotton pads also come in the form of cotton balls, which basically serve the same purpose.
Cotton pads were first invented around the early 1970s. The first patents for the invention date from 1973, claimed as a new invention for face
and nail cleaning and a substitute for cotton swab
s. The standard pad was round and 2 1/4 inches (57mm) in diameter. It became widely used and by the mid 1980s, its sales had exceeded those of cotton swab in Europe
. In the 1990s, new variants in the standard pad emerged as the number of suppliers rapidly increased due to demand. Cotton pads are used with nail polish remover for that purpose.
The specific phobia
of cotton balls has been reported.
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
which are used for medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
or cosmetic
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
purposes. For medical purposes, cotton pads are used to stop or prevent bleeding
Bleeding
Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood or blood escape from the circulatory system...
from minor punctures such as injections
Injection (medicine)
An injection is an infusion method of putting fluid into the body, usually with a hollow needle and a syringe which is pierced through the skin to a sufficient depth for the material to be forced into the body...
or venipuncture
Venipuncture
In medicine, venepuncture, venopuncture or venipuncture is the process of obtaining intravenous access for the purpose of intravenous therapy or for blood sampling of venous blood. This procedure is performed by medical laboratory scientists, medical practitioners, some EMTs, paramedics,...
. They may be secured in place with tape
Adhesive tape
Adhesive tape is one of many varieties of backing materials coated with an adhesive. Several types of adhesives can be used.-Types:Pressure sensitive tape...
. Cotton pads are used in the application and the removal of makeup. Cotton pads are also soft enough that they can be used to clean babies
Infant
A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
. Cotton pads also come in the form of cotton balls, which basically serve the same purpose.
Cotton pads were first invented around the early 1970s. The first patents for the invention date from 1973, claimed as a new invention for face
Face
The face is a central sense organ complex, for those animals that have one, normally on the ventral surface of the head, and can, depending on the definition in the human case, include the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyelashes, eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, temple, teeth, skin, and...
and nail cleaning and a substitute for cotton swab
Cotton swab
Cotton swabs or cotton buds or ear buds consist of a small wad of cotton wrapped around one or both ends of a short rod, usually made of either wood, rolled paper, or plastic...
s. The standard pad was round and 2 1/4 inches (57mm) in diameter. It became widely used and by the mid 1980s, its sales had exceeded those of cotton swab in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In the 1990s, new variants in the standard pad emerged as the number of suppliers rapidly increased due to demand. Cotton pads are used with nail polish remover for that purpose.
The specific phobia
Specific phobia
A specific phobia is a generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amounts to an unreasonable or irrational fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations...
of cotton balls has been reported.