Woman goes through airport security and then gets pulled for a frisk check. Then she looks over at the monitor: ‘Both in the crotch area’

Getting pulled aside for a pat-down at airport security is never the highlight of a trip, but for TikToker Lindsay Gurk, it turned into a pretty memorable situation. In an incredibly viral video with over 22.3 million views, she told TikTok that she was flagged by TSA as she was headed for a flight. Interestingly, her experience seems to be happening to more women than you might think.

Standing in her bathroom, Lindsay describes the situation. She alleged in her video that as soon as she walked through the scanner, she was told, “Alright, ma’am, we’re gonna need you to step aside.” At first, she thought it might just be her necklace, but then she looked at the monitor. She then pulled out a little sketch to show everyone what she saw. She exclaimed, “That’s what I saw. We got a yellow warning, and we got a red hot warning. Both in the crotch area!” 

After a moment of confusion, she realized, “Oh no… I have a diaper on.” Lindsay noted, “I’m on day two of my period. For real, this is my only option on day two.” So, when the TSA agent asked if she had any dangerous items or explosives after explaining how she was going to search the TikToker, Lindsay told her, “Well I got my period panties on.” According to Lindsay, the agent’s only reaction was to ask, “Alright, would you like to go to a private room or do you wanna do it here?”

A confirmation search

Lindsay opted for the public screening. She told the agent, “There’s a whole diaper situation going on right now, and I wanted to let you know what you’re getting into.” As she was thoroughly searched, she comforted herself, thinking, “You don’t need to feel weird about this. This is totally normal.” Then, as she was excused, the agent allegedly chuckled, making her realize it was an anomaly. 

Lindsay’s caption on the post summed up her reaction to being pulled over for a period product: “Maybe everyone else knew this. But it was a big surprise to me.” She also presented a theory for why this happens: “If you’re wondering why I received a double warning… Because blood has metal. A lot of iron.” However, experts say that’s not quite how it works. 

Daniel Hurley, a London-based aviation and travel expert with 17 years of experience, explained to Tyla that walk-through metal detectors and millimetre-wave scanners don’t actually detect biological fluids like blood. “They don’t detect biological fluids, and they can’t pick up blood,” Hurley said. “The iron in blood argument is the usual hook for this rumour, but it doesn’t stack up in real-world physics.”

Instead, the technology is designed to flag abnormalities in an electromagnetic field or, in the case of millimetre-wave scanners, areas that the software can’t automatically resolve. According to Hurley, the scanner might flag benign things like sanitary pads, incontinence products, or even just dampness or sweat. 

This aligns with what the maker of the millimetre-wave machine told ProPublica regarding how the technology works. These machines use low-level electromagnetic waves that reflect off objects, but they can also reflect off water, which is why sweat or dampness can sometimes trigger a false alarm.

Interestingly, many TikTokers experienced the same thing. One user commented, “THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I said, ‘I have my period panties on.’ She responded, ‘I don’t need to know that.’” Another shared, “My IUD sets it off. Every. Time.” Some users pointed out the technical side, with a TikToker claiming, “it’s because the pad in the pants has metallic material (silver and/or copper) for antimicrobial purposes.” 

One user had made a pointed complaint. They wrote, “this is f—ing unbelievable there are so many inventions, many tehnology development and this is not an issue to solve out?” captures the frustration pretty well.

It’s worth noting that TSA body scanners have a history of being a bit finicky. According to Explore, while they are effective at detecting potential threats, they can also pick up on period hygiene products. 

TSA spokesperson R. Carter Langston reportedly stated that this technology does not detect items inside a passenger’s body or penetrate the skin, but the sensitivity of the machines means that external products are often flagged. This happens with regular scanners too. One woman was flagged for having a gun when all she had was a toy. 

It’s a weird, slightly intrusive part of modern travel. If you’re ever in this position, just know you’re definitely not the only one, and as Lindsay said, “I got your back, girl.”