The Common Hair Product You Might Want To Avoid Using On A Plane

Flights can be tough on your tresses. Your hair has to grapple with the dry air of the plane, the friction from the headrest, and the overall stress that comes with traveling. By the end of a flight, your perfect messy bun may look like a flat-out mess. This can be an issue if you have somewhere to be right after you land — such as an important work meeting or a dinner date — and don't have a lot of time to touch up your locks. 

Fear not, for there are some products you can use to manage your hair on your travel day. Applying leave-in conditioners and oils before the flight can be a big help, and of course, there's always dry shampoo. Now, it's important to remember to avoid using an aerosol-based dry shampoo — or any aerosol hair product, for that matter — while you're on the plane, as it could easily set off the fire alarm.

In 2015, singer LeAnn Rimes learned this lesson the hard way when she tried to sort out her hair by using a dry shampoo spray in the aircraft's lavatory. As she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "Leave it up to me to set off the fire alarm in the airplane bathroom w/ @theDrybar dry shampoo #purecomedy #firsttimeforeverything." To avoid following in Rimes' footsteps, it's best to steer clear of aerosol-based hair products at all costs on flights.

For starters, aircraft toilets are equipped with very sensitive smoke detectors to be able to detect incredibly small particles in the air. Aerosol sprays such as dry shampoos emit particles that can feasibly trigger these smoke detectors, which in turn could create a state of panic on the airplane. Even in the case of a false alarm, an aircraft is supposed to follow safety and security protocols mid-flight. That may mean diverting the plane to another airport for an emergency landing. Needless to say, a few spritzes of an aerosol dry shampoo or hairspray could feasibly create a lot of chaos for you, your fellow passengers, and the flight crew. 

While you cannot use aerosol products on a plane, you can bring some aerosol products in your carry-on — as long as they adhere to TSA's liquid and aerosol rules. If your aerosol dry shampoo can is 3.4 ounces or less, then you can keep it in your carry-on bag. Otherwise, it has to go in your checked bag. 

While you are not allowed to use an aerosol-based dry shampoo on the flight, that doesn't mean you can't use any dry shampoos. Powder-based dry shampoos — which are completely unrestricted by airline regulations — do not contain aerosol and can be applied manually. Just remember to comply with TSA regulations and only pack travel-sized hair products in your carry-on. That's one surefire way to make sure you move through airport security without issue.

Before the flight, you can also take steps to try to set your hair up for success. For some people, that means showering right before you leave for the airport. Or it could mean washing your hair a day or two ahead of travel. And as previously noted, there are hair serums and leave-in products that can help. It all just depends on how your scalp produces oil and the way it impacts your hair. If you have longer locks, you can also style it in a way that reduces the need for additional products, such as buns, braids or half updos.

You can also carry a small travel-sized detangler to quickly run through your hair after you release the bun or braid and prevent you from needing any additional products. What's more, using accessories such as headbands or scarves may also keep your hair in place during your trip.