Illinois Woman Gets TSA Pat Down at O’Hare Because of her Hands

If you're headed on vacation this spring, you might want to monitor what you put on your hands before you leave for the airport. Or you might get a pat down.

Airports are my happy place. My dad worked at O'Hare Airport for decades and I've spent many days (and nights) navigating my way through the B and C concourses waiting for my flights.

I've also spent what seems like years in line for security. But it wasn't until this month that I ever had my hands swabbed for explosives while my bags were getting scanned.

So picture this.

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It's early on a Saturday morning and you're going through security just like you have hundreds of times. You place your carry-ons on the belt and walk through the detector.

After walking through and seemingly passing the 'test,' of the day, you're randomly selected to get your hands swabbed.

I've never heard of this hand swab before and I've flown plenty of times in the last few years, but I guess I've just been lucky to avoid it.

So the TSA agent swabs my hands and sticks the little swabby paper in a machine and it says I failed the test.

Why Did My Hands Fail the Swab Test?

What? How did I fail a hand test? Why are my hands betraying me?!

I started wondering if any of the medicine I take has caused me to fail, or was it because I have bad circulation? Did my finger somehow give off a dangerous vibe because it's white and cold?

After failing the test, I was taken to be pat down by a female TSA agent, who truly pat me down. I have never experienced that before. She literally commented on my calves being so strong she was that up in my business.

The original TSA agent was busy going through my bags when ironically my phone alarm rang.

I passed the test, (meaning I didn't have any bombs on me) was given my stuff back and I got to go free with the original guy saying it must've been a lotion. I tried to make him laugh by pointing out the irony of my alarm ringing but I don't think he felt the comedic timing.

Lotion? I didn't have any lotion on. It couldn't be lotion.

I immediately Googled everything I could think of that might've set the swab off and figured it out - it was HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.

So... I used hydrogen peroxide on a zit under my nose the night before, and ran it under my thumb nail, too, because I thought I had a cut there.

Turns out, no cut, but my hands were ready to test positive for bomb residue. Whoops.

I encourage you to avoid hydrogen peroxide or any other bomb ingredients before you travel next.

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