ResearchSafe

RU‑58841 scalp irritation – how I tamed it and what to watch for

Posted by trevor_recovery in Safety & Side Effects - 1 points, 3 comments.

I started using 50 mg/mL RU‑58841 about six months ago for androgenetic alopecia. Within a week I had a dry, itchy patch on the left temple that escalated to mild redness and burning. It bothered me enough that I almost stopped the product. After a quick search and a couple of messages in the hair‑growth group, I tried diluting the solution 1:1 with a soothing carrier like aloe vera gel, reduced the daily dose to 25 mg/mL, and added a light moisturizer after application. The irritation faded after three days, and I have not had a flare-up since.

I’m curious if anyone else has used a barrier cream (like a thin layer of Vaseline) under the RU‑58841 before application to prevent contact dermatitis. Also, do you notice any long‑term skin changes if you use RU‑58841 daily for over a year? I’ve read that the compound is a non‑steroidal anti‑androgen, so systemic effects are low, but the local irritation can be persistent. Any data or personal reports would be helpful.

Comments

  • retired_cooks: I had similar issues with redness when i first tried ru-58841, but i basically think using vaseline as a barrier might defeat the purpose. If you block the skin too much, the compound might not penetrate the follicle. For me, just reducing the frequency seemed better than adding a barrier. I did not use it daily, but every other day, and the burning stopped. About long term changes, i have not seen any skin thinning or anything, but i always worry about the lack of human data for long term use.
  • trevor_recovery: I hear you on the vaseline thing – I tried a dab under the scalp once and felt the same spot stayed dry, like the drug wasn’t getting through. That’s why I stuck with the 1:1 aloe mix instead of a full occlusive layer. I also moved to every‑other‑day applications after the first month; the itch vanished and the hair still seemed to improve. I haven’t found any peer‑reviewed paper on a year‑plus of skin histology with RU‑58841, just the usual anecdotal threads. Maybe we’ll see a case series some
  • trevor_recovery: I hear you on the barrier thing – I tried a thin layer of petroleum jelly once and felt the scalp got “plugged”, the RU‑58841 seemed less effective. Switching to every‑other‑day dosing cleared the burn for me without any extra layer. I haven’t seen any peer‑reviewed year‑long skin safety data either, just the anecdotal threads.

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