RU-58841 scalp got angry after 6 weeks, what calmed it down for you?

Question

Howzit. Started RU-58841 about 6 weeks back, 50mg/ml in a standard vehicle, once a day on dry scalp. First month was fine, then the crown and temples started flaking and going red, kind of a tight burning feeling after each application. Not full-on dermatitis but uncomfortable enough that I stopped for a few days and it settled, then came back when I restarted. Tbh I'm wondering if it's the vehicle or the concentration. I've seen people mention PG can be a problem, others say DMSO. What actually worked for you when the scalp reacted like this, drop the concentration, switch the carrier, or just use it less often? Also curious if anyone bothered with a patch test first and whether that would have caught this. Not looking for medical advice, just what people tried and what stuck. I'd rather hear from someone who dealt with the same thing than guess on my own head.

weekend_student · Accepted Answer

For me the vehicle was actually the issue, not the RU itself. I had a similar thing going on around week 5 with a PG heavy mix, real itchy and tight feeling after each apply. When I switched to a mostly ethanol based carrier with a bit less concentration dropped from 50 to 40 the irritation went away within a week. Also started applying every other day for a bit before going back to daily. Could also be worth checking if youre letting it fully dry before bed, since rubbing it into the pillow probably doesnt help the scalp. For me a ketoconazole shampoo twice a week calmed the remaining redness down while I transitioned. Did you do a patch test behind the ear first? I didnt that time and regretted it, would have caught the vehicle reaction way earlier 🧠

optimized_mom · Answer

Yeah the PG thing rings true for me too, my scalp got touchy around week 6 on a PG heavy mix and dropping the concentration plus giving it a real break like 4 days off before restarting every other day sorted most of it. Also the ketoconazole tip is solid, I use it twice a week and it seems to keep the flake situation calm between applications. Hope it settles for you soon 😅

runner_aaron · Answer

Cheers for that. Going to drop down to 25mg/ml and try an every other day schedule with a longer break first, see how it lands. The ketoconazole idea I hadn't considered tbh, how often were you using it when the flare first kicked off or only after you scaled back? Want to get the timing right before I chuck more variables at my scalp.

runner_aaron · Answer

Ta, that's basically what I was leaning towards. The PG thing tracks, mine is mostly PG and the irritation lines up with what you described. Dropping to 40 with more ethanol sounds like a sensible move, and every other day to start is a good way in rather than just cutting it off completely. I'll mix a new batch this week and see how it goes. The pillow point is fair tbh, I do go to bed not long after applying so probably not fully dry. Ketoconazole twice a week I'll add in too, mine's just sitting in the cupboard anyway. How long did you run the every other day schedule before going back to daily, was it a week or two for you?

RU-58841 scalp got angry after 6 weeks, what calmed it down for you?

Comments