“It sees EVERYTHING”: Can TSA body scanners tell when a woman has her period?
A traveler says her tampon triggered an alarm in a TSA body scanner, and the story is resonating with menstruating passengers who suspect the machines might be detecting far more than officials admit.
In a viral TikTok, Cynthia Starich (@cynthiastarich) described seeing a red box appear over her crotch on the scanner monitor and being told it was due to “extra layers.”
Starich described the experience in a TikTok video shared on Nov. 5, 2025. In the clip, she claimed security officials’ explanation was bogus because other travelers have reported that their tampons tripped security alarms at the airport.
Commenters, many sharing similar experiences with tampons, pads, cups, and even IUDs, argued that the scanners are picking up menstrual products.
Many believe this is why they've been stopped. Others blamed the heavy metals potentially present in pads and tampons for setting off security alarms.
“It sees EVERYTHING.”
She said the TSA scanner detected her tampon
Starich’s video racked up nearly 100,000 views. From the airport terminal, she explained, “So I went through security… and it starts beeping. I looked at the graph—Big red box right on my crotch, and it was not my pants.”
When she asked TSA agents if the scanner picked up her tampon, they assured her the machine is designed to detect extra layers. “Bulls**t,” replied Starich.
“I scoped out TikTok, found some other videos of some other bitches that were talking about how their f**king tampons got picked up by the TSA scanner thing,” she said. “So my question is, why wouldn't you just tell me that?... Why are you making it weird?”
@cynthiastarich TSA made it weird???? #tsa #airport #period #menstrual #femaletraveler ♬ original sound - Cynthia Starich AuDHD Alchemy
Yes, the TSA can detect menstrual products
While TSA scanners supposedly can't detect tampons, they can detect DivaCups, menstrual pads, and period underwear.
TSA spokesperson R. Carter Langston said, in an interview with Reader's Digest, that "Millimeter wave imaging technology does not detect items inside a passenger’s body or penetrate the skin," meaning "the body scanners cannot see anything inside of the body, including tampons or any other items."
Still, women across social media—including Starich—have provided anecdotal evidence to the contrary.
Commenters suspect TSA scanners are seeing it all, and they guessed at why
Menstruating TikTok users speculated on just how much they think transit authority officials can see when passengers pass through AIT scanners at airport security checkpoints. The conversation touched on privacy concerns about TSA’s seemingly unfettered access to sensitive personal information.
“I have a copper iud and get stopped for my crotch everytime ????.”
“Yea, last time I wore a diva cup to the airport I ended up getting a full pat down ????.”
“Now that I think about it I’ve been stopped and yeah both times I was wearing a pad ???? in the last 2 years.”
“Because they’re trying to scan and see if you’re pregnant and they won’t let you leave the state if you are.”
“It’s a bad thing that people have accepted that they should have a full body scanner image taken of them just to freely travel within their own country. It’s a gross violation of privacy.”
TSA did not immediately reply to the Daily Dot's request for comment via email.
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