Warning issued over ‘swamp crotch’ that can set off airport scanners

There are ways to combat it, especially in the summer months

Over on Reddit, a female traveller recently shared her story of being flagged down by the body scanners despite having no piercings or anything in her pockets.

Her inquiry read: "I don't care about the pat down, they were polite and professional and it doesn't bother me, but I'm wondering what did it. I'm a midsized adult woman and was wearing bike shorts and normal underwear.

"I read that fibroids could possibly alert (airport security scanners), and it was the exact same spot on my groin both times."

Fellow Reddit users highlighted sweating as a potential factor, as the woman admitted to being "terrified of flying".

One person recounted: "Last time I flew out of my home airport of Tampa, I got searched too, the guard said something unnerving like 'swamp rot' or 'swamp crotch' or something similarly embarrassing."

In light of this, The Sun spoke to Professor Franklin Joseph, who works as consultant physician. He said 'swamp crotch' was a "slang term for excessive sweating in the groin area".

The professor described it as "something that's really common in hot, humid weather or when wearing tight, non-breathable clothes.

"The groin has a lot of sweat glands, so it's one of the first places to get sweaty in the heat."

Apparently, if you're overweight or suffer from hormonal imbalances/hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), then you're more prone to it.

"While it's usually harmless, all that moisture can lead to skin irritation, chafing and even fungal or bacterial infections if it's not dealt with properly. Wearing loose, breathable clothing and changing out of damp underwear quickly can help prevent problems," added Joseph.

But why would groin dampness be picked up by the scanners?

"In terms of airport scanners, sweat itself won't trigger an alarm," he noted. "But it could cause dark patches or areas of moisture on clothing that look unusual on a scanner and prompt a manual search.

"It's more about what the operator sees on the screen than the sweat itself setting anything off."

Transport Security Administration (TSA) expert Shawna Malvini Redden told Reader's Digest that sweat is the "weirdest thing" that can attract alerts, due to how the wave technology bounces off water.