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Alcohol Swabs

The Disinfection Before the Injection

Alcohol swabs are sterile cotton sheets or pads that are used to disinfect skin in preparation for an injection or drawing blood. Unlike plain old wipes, they contain alcohol, which kills germs. These are a particularly useful product for diabetics who use insulin catheters and insulin pumps, where the chance for infection is higher than with syringe injections.


When To Clean Your Skin With Alcohol

  • There is some debate over whether it is really necessary to swab the area from which you intend to draw blood or make an injection.
  • If the skin is clean, in most cases it is not necessary and perhaps undesirable. Cleaning the area without thorough drying can dilute your blood sample.
  • However, if you prefer, and particularly when skin is dirty or infected, swabbing the area with alcohol is suggested.
  • In general, reuse of disposable plastic syringes is not recommended. Bear in mind that the alcohol will break down the silicone coating on disposable needles. The coating is there to make penetration less painful. Therefore the needle should not be cleaned with alcohol.
  • Swabs may also be used to clean wounds and abrasions, although this is not recommended as the alcohol causes a painful sting.
Insulin Catheters and Pumps Require Extra Care

  • Those with insulin catheters and insulin pumps, however, should absolutely disinfect and thoroughly clean the skin around the insertion site each time they handle the area.
  • Special care needs to be taken when dealing with insulin catheters and insulin pumps, as infection is always a possibility.
  • Also, the skin around the area may need extra care. Consult your doctor if you experience dryness, chafing, or rashes. Do not attempt to treat them yourself.
Choose the Alcohol Swab That Best Suits Your Needs

  • All alcohol preps are packaged in sterile, single-use packets.
  • Alcohol swabs come in different sizes, so choose the size that best fits your need.
  • While quality should not really vary too much among swabs, the grade of the cotton (its absorbency and tendency to keep from breaking down or leaving debris) will be the main factor in differences in quality.

What's In an Alcohol Swab Anyway?

  • Alcohol swabs are high-grade cotton pads or sheets that are absorbent enough to hold isopropyl alcohol.
  • Swabs are individually wrapped to ensure sterility.
  • They contain 70% alcohol, isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol).
  • Isopropanol has stronger antiseptic effects than ethanol (or ethyl alcohol, another alcohol used for sterilization).
  • 70% alcohol is used because this is the most effective concentration to kill microbes -- even more effective than 100% alcohol!

Alcohol Sterilizes Your Skin

  • Alcohol swabs are designed to disinfect the skin and prepare it for injection or bandaging.
  • Alcohol works by disrupting the plasma membrames of microbes and precipitating their vital proteins.

Websites, Organizations & Manufacturers
Sources & Further Reading

Books

1. American Diabetes Assocation. American Diabetes Association: Complete Guide to Diabetes. New York: Bantam Books 1996.
2. American Pharmaceutical Association. Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. 11th ed. Washington., D.C.: American Pharmaceutical Assocation 1996.
3. Fauci, Anthony S. et al. Eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. New York: MacGraw Hill 1998.
4. Saudek, Christopher D. et al. (Baltimore: JHU Press, 1997. The Johns Hopkins Guide to Diabetes for Today and Tomorrow. Baltimore: JHU Press 1997.
Find more books on health and wellness at barnesandnoble.com.

Articles

1. American Diabetes Association. "Buyer's guide to diabetes products '98.(Buyers Guide)." Diabetes Forecast; Vol. 52 10/1/1997.
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