Q-tip vs Cotton Swab

The terms "Q-tip" and "cotton swab" often lead to confusion, but they refer to similar items with a key distinction primarily based on branding:

1. Cotton Swab: This is a generic term for a small stick with cotton wrapped around one or both ends. Cotton swabs are used for a variety of purposes, including medical applications like specimen collection, personal hygiene, cleaning in small or delicate areas, and even in arts and crafts. The cotton tips are designed to be soft and absorbent, making them suitable for gentle use on skin and other surfaces.
2. Q-tip: Q-tip is actually a brand name, much like Kleenex is to tissues. It has become a widely recognized and often used term to refer to any cotton swab, but technically, Q-tips are a specific brand of cotton swabs. The Q-tip brand swabs are known for their quality and have a sturdy stick, usually made of paper or plastic, with tightly wound cotton on either end. Q-Tips is a trademarked name owned by the Unilever Corporation.

The primary difference is thus in the branding: all Q-tips are cotton swabs, but not all cotton swabs are Q-tips.

In terms of usage and functionality, there is generally little difference between a Q-tip brand cotton swab and other brands of cotton swabs, although there can be variations in quality, size, and cotton density. 

In a medical context, especially for specimen collection, specialized swabs may be used which are different from standard Q-tips or cosmetic cotton swabs, as they are designed for optimal sample collection and may be sterile.