Tweezers can be found in almost every household. It can be used in a variety of ways and has the most diverse shapes. Their essential function is to extend the human index finger to grasp the smallest objects with their help.
What is a pair of tweezers?
The term tweezers comes from French and is a diminutive form of the French word “pince” meaning pliers. The term tweezers comes from French and is a diminutive form of the French word “pince” for pliers. This meaning of the word is reflected in its structure and function: it resembles a pair of pliers and allows to grasp small objects, such as splinters. It has served as a tool since the beginning of mankind. Grave finds prove that people made tweezers from metal as early as the Bronze Age. Made of wood, horn or bone, this tool served people in prehistoric times as a utensil for personal hygiene. Hair can be removed with it, beards trimmed and also wounds cleaned. The variety of possible uses is reflected in the present day in the fact that tweezers-like tools can be found in almost every field: In medicine, in the household, in technology and in industry.
Shapes, types and types
Depending on the field of application, tweezers differ in their shape and materials. Common manufacturing material is metal. The cosmetics industry uses seamless aluminum and medicine prefers stainless steel because it can be disinfected and does not rust. However, there are also tweezers made of plastic or ceramic, which are used mainly in the electronics industry. Ceramics and plastics have the advantage that these materials do not conduct electricity. In addition, ceramics are not sensitive to heat. Non-conductive metals such as titanium can also serve as manufacturing materials. The intended use also influences the shape and length. The ends can be pointed, round or square and the course can be straight, curved or angled. In medicine, there is a division into anatomical and surgical forceps. The forceps used in surgery have teeth on the end that interlock to help hold tissue. The anatomical ones include the splinter tweezers also used in every household. In addition to these distinguishing criteria, there are also tweezers for home use with special designs, with gold ornaments or fluted handles.
Structure and mode of operation
In the classic design, a pair of tweezers consists of two pieces joined together, the legs. These are connected at the end. The lower end for gripping an object is the tip. The upper end is the gripping surfaces. Pressure on the legs causes them to move toward each other, closing the tip. The easiest way to use tweezers is to place them between the thumb and index finger like a pencil, with the middle finger supporting them. Depending on where they are used, there are different versions. The ball holder tweezers is a special form. It is built crosswise so that it is firm. The tips are released by squeezing the legs together. It is used mainly in cosmetics for piercing and in medicine. Its ends are partially hole-shaped to facilitate gripping a ball. It is suitable for use with small objects that have a round shape.
Medical and health benefits
The classic tweezers is a small object with a big impact. In the field of medicine and health, it finds many applications. Due to their design, anatomical tweezers allow blood vessels, tendons and nerves to be grasped gently and are an important instrument during surgery. The splinter tweezers belong in every medicine cabinet. They have a wide grip area to ensure a secure and firm hold and have narrow tips. They are used to remove splinters. It is important to remove them quickly and gently to prevent inflammation. During long hikes in nature, it is an important part of the first aid kit. If no special tick tongs are at hand, it can also remove ticks. They can also be used to gently remove thorns or insect stings that have penetrated the skin. Special versions offer an integrated magnifying glass to facilitate handling. Surgical tweezers are used for wound edges. The teeth on the tip make it easier to hold and pull tissue sections.In medicine, there are other special shapes that a patient usually does not notice. Ear or nose tweezers have a curved shape. At the dentist, tweezers help to place, hold and remove cotton rolls. In the field of hygiene and cosmetics, this care utensil assists in hair removal and manicure. Plucking eyebrows or other unwanted hair is painful, but thanks to tweezers precise. Ingrown hairs can also be extracted much easier with their help.
