Travel 1st Aid Kit

Does anyone have tips for creating a TSA friendly first aid kit, given that my beloved hydro cortizone cream and some other things belong in the liquid bag?

3 years ago

Off Topic

12 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Wish I did, but you've hit on one of the things I hate most about the liquids/gels rule. I think in functional categories, not honey+body oil belong together because liquid.

I suppose if you could find small enough ampuls or a blister pack, you could get away with storing it separately from the liquids. Good luck.

3 years ago

Helena

Veteran

Hmm I always manage to stuff quite a bit into the allowable Ziploc. Do you have lots of tubes and things to accommodate? The dollar store usually has inexpensive little pots to put a smaller quantity of cream into. I know airports are expensive, but for the sake of convenience you could always prioritize your more specific stuff and purchase inexpensive lip balm, toothpaste, etc at the convenience store once you're through security.

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Helena, so you’re saying just go with it to get through security and redistribute things into logical order on the other side? One thing my son have done to get around that a little bit when we travel together is divide things into 2 categories, like “food” and “toiletries”. We still don’t have a place for other stuff, like essential oils, but at least it’s a start.

Em, if you’re traveling with enough people, I suppose one of them could pop the whole 1st aid kit into their allotted liquids baggie, and someone else could take their toiletries and any food or other non-first-aid related Geld & liquids.

3 years ago

Helena

Veteran

No, I don't think that's what I meant. If I'm understanding correctly (which I well may not be - Em, lmk ), it's a space issue when a person has things that really can't do without that fall into the liquids/gels restriction. I've gotten around this in the past by skipping bringing toiletries that are easily purchased at the airport in favour of toiletries (e.g. cortisone cream at the right strength) that definitely needs to be brought with me. If that makes sense.

3 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes, I just do what Helena does -- I have little tiny pots and containers for the bare necessities. And then buy small sizes of other stuff at the destination. I also often check a bag and put my liquids and creams in there, instead. I realize that takes extra time, though, in waiting for the bag. Plus trust that they won't lose the bag, which does occasionally happen.

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Helena, we clearly understood the question differently. I read it as “how can I make a first aid kit that includes liquids like hydrocortisone and doesn’t need to be dismantled to go through Security?”

3 years ago

kkards

Veteran

Like others mentioned, on the occasions when I need to bring more than the TSA allowed amount of liquids, i brings the real essentials with me, & buy the other stuff either at my final destination or in the airport past security (I’ll add that my home airport is owned by the county which has a law that says that the price charged must be the same price as the chain charges in the local non airport stores, so it’s not any more expensive to do it this way)

3 years ago

texasgal

Active Member

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures
Some liquid meds are allowed outside the 3-1-1 rule (like the lens solution I use for contacts)

3 years ago

Helena

Veteran

kkards, that is a great rule - wish Toronto did that Unfortunately, we just have the dubious distinction of being "most stressful airport in North America" *facepalm*

3 years ago

Active Member

So for me it is a function issue.

I have had TSA people--and those internationally--hold the contact lens solution to the rule. I hate the 2 oz containers--I don't need that much for short trips. I wish they came in .5 oz containers or even 1 oz. But this is one liquid that I don't feel safe decanting.

I have one section of my toiletry bag devoted to 1st aid. Another to hair. Another to skincare/necessities, and another to makeup. I have liquids in all these categories, which makes the liquid bag a smorgasbord and difficult for me to work with since I rarely need the 1st aid but need skincare every day.

1st world problems, I guess.

I solved some of my issues by using Shiseido's SPF stick and colgate's toothpaste tablets. For short trips the dentist ok'd listerine dissolvable sheets.

3 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Hey, those tiny bottles of eye drops for contacts wearers are the regular solution in little bottles - like the Renu eyedrops…

3 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

This doesn’t totally solve it, but how about separate very small bags (I’ve seen ziplocks half the size of sandwich bags) for each function, all of them put in the quart-sized bag for Security? When you pack, you can have a “liquids” baggie for each category, and then gather them all together at the very last minute for TSA & co. Not perfect, but lets you preserve the categories and think by function.

3 years ago

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