Can You Bring Rogaine on a Plane?
Bringing medication with you while traveling is pretty standard and is fairly easy in most cases.
Neither TSA agents nor airlines will turn away a passenger trying to bring medically necessary medication with them on their flight.
Rogaine is a bit trickier to bring with you, thanks to its delivery method and packaging.
Rogaine foam is categorized as an aerosol by the TSA and falls under the regulations for liquids, foams, and gels. Amounts 3.4 ounces or less are allowed in carryons, but any Rogaine containers larger than this will have to be placed in checked luggage.
TSA Liquid, Gel, and Foam Policies
The current TSA regulations for liquids in carry-on bags stem from an incident where a few men attempted to smuggle explosives onto an aircraft.
Sizes under 3.4 ounces are deemed to not be able to critically damage an aircraft, which is the reasoning behind the seemingly arbitrary limit.
The TSA has a firm 3-1-1 rule for all liquids in carry-on baggage. Each passenger may bring three liquid items under 3.4 ounces in a carry-on.
Those items must be placed in a single one-quart plastic bag, and each passenger may have one of these bags in their carry-on.
Any liquids, gels, or aerosols in a bag may be subject to additional screening, X-rays, or testing.
Final determinations regarding whether or not items are allowed through are made in the security line by an agent on duty.
Rogaine, while a medication, falls under the liquid regulations for carry-on bags.
Some liquid exemptions for medication exist that allow passengers to bring necessary medications larger than 3.4 ounces in their carry-on bag.
The exemptions typically cover “medically necessary” products. This means medication that the passenger must keep on them and not having it with them would risk their safety.
You can read more about liquid medication exemptions here. As a non-critical medication, Rogaine does not meet the requirements for the exemption.
Any Rogaine containers you wish to bring in your carry-on must be under 3.4 ounces. Any containers larger must be packed into your checked baggage and are limited to 2 liters in total.
Other forms of hair gel and hair products that are in liquid or aerosol form also fall under these regulations.
What Can Not be Brought on a Flight?
Some airlines have different policies regarding what can and cannot be put in your carry-on or checked luggage.
Be sure to check with your airline if you have any questions regarding specific items you intend to travel with.
When it comes to your carry-on bags, some items are completely prohibited from taking on planes.
Some of them may be allowed in checked baggage but must be declared to an agent and may also require special packing.
Generally, you can expect these items to not be allowed in carry-on luggage:
- Firearms, including toys, antiques, replicas, or airsoft guns
- Blades above a certain length, including razors, scissors, or tweezers
- Weapons of any kind
- Alcohol
- Sporting equipment
- Chemicals
- Flammable items like paint or gas
- Explosives
- Illegal drugs
You can travel with some of these items, like firearms or sporting equipment.
Generally, these will need to be in checked luggage and have special requirements such as locks and approved cases, and must be declared to the airline at check-in.
Other items may have special instructions you must follow to pack them in your carry-on or checked baggage.
This includes airbrushes for makeup, certain kinds of lighters, and external medical devices.
Can You Bring Medication on a Flight?
It’s perfectly acceptable to bring medication with you on your flight.
While liquid medication must be declared and deemed medically necessary to exceed liquid regulations, solid forms like pills are easier.
All medication will undergo security screening when you enter an airport.
It’s recommended that all pills be clearly labeled and accessible for screenings. This includes visual inspection, X-ray scans, or additional testing.
A TSA agent will also make a determination if the amount of medication you’re bringing with you is reasonable for your trip.
Traveling with large quantities of pills (exceeding reasonable amounts for personal use) may raise a red flag and cause you to be questioned.
It can be helpful to put your medication in a separate bag inside your luggage. That will make it easier for you to separate them in your bin and for agents to screen them.
Accessories for your medication, especially liquid medication, are also allowed on your flight.
This includes but is not limited to ice packs, IV bags, pumps, and syringes. They are also subject to screening but are allowed through security if necessary.
Is Rogaine Flammable?
Rogaine is flammable. You should make sure to never be around open flames when you’ve applied the medication and be sure that it has completely dried before approaching any fire.
This includes smoking. The medication itself is also contained in pressurized aerosol cans.
The propellant for these cans is also flammable and may explode if it gets too hot or is exposed to flames.
Conclusion
Rogaine is allowed on planes if you happen to have a container that is less than 3.4 ounces.
Any containers larger than this will need to be placed in your checked luggage and will not be allowed through security screenings of carry-on bags.
