Anyone else noticing scalp dryness and flaking with RU-58841?

Posted by retired_coldplunge in Safety & Side Effects - 1 points, 0 comments.

So I've been on topical RU-58841 for about six weeks now, mostly at 50 mg/mL applied once daily to the temples and crown. The reason I'm posting here is the scalp stuff, because it crept up on me.

Around week three I started noticing some dryness and a bit of itching, almost like a mild dandruff thing along the hairline where I was applying it. I scaled back to every other day and started using a gentle, fragrance-free moisturiser on off-days, which helped a lot. No redness or anything that looks like contact dermatitis, just dry and flaky.

I read through the profile on ResearchSafe and scalp irritation is listed as a known side effect, with contact dermatitis being rare. Fwiw mine never crossed into anything painful or weepy, just annoying cosmetically. I did make the mistake early on of applying it right after a hot shower with damp skin, and that seemed to make the irritation worse, so now I wait until everything is fully dry.

A couple of questions for anyone else using it. Did the dryness settle down for you over time, or did you end up needing to lower the concentration? And is anyone pairing it with something like a niacinamide serum or just a basic non-medicated moisturiser on off-days to keep the scalp happy? I am not looking to layer a bunch of products, just want to keep this manageable long term. 📰

Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.