ResearchSafe

RU-58841 scalp irritation and vehicle reactions?

Posted by casey613 in Safety & Side Effects - 21 points, 4 comments.

I have been trying out RU-58841 for a bit now and my scalp has been feeling really tight and dry lately, almost like it is peeling in some spots. I thought it might just be the compound itself but then I started wondering if it is actually the vehicle I am using to mix it since some of these solvents can be quite harsh on the skin, lah. For me it started off fine but after a week or so the itching got worse and now it feels quite irritated whenever I apply it.

I want to know if anyone else has dealt with this kind of contact dermatitis or if there is a specific solvent that is more steady and less likely to cause this kind of redness. I am worried that if I keep pushing through the irritation I might actually damage the follicles more, which would be a waste of time. Has anyone found a way to buffer the solution or maybe a different application frequency that stops the dryness without losing the effect? I just want to make sure I am not messing up my skin barrier.

Comments

  • quiet_ironman: Yeah, I’ve had something similar with peptides before, solvents can really mess with sensitive skin. For me, switching from DMSO to something like ethanol-based mixers helped tone down the irritation. Also, spacing out applications a day or two apart let my scalp recover. You might try adding a bit of aquaphor or a hyaluronic acid dropper to the mix as a buffer, it doesn’t kill the effect but smooths the sting. If the peeling keeps happening, though, might be worth pausing and consulting a derm
  • chemist_daily: Fwiw, I also felt that tight, dry feeling when I first used RU‑58841 in propylene glycol; moving to a 70% ethanol vehicle eased the irritation and I now dose every other day. A tiny dab of plain glycerin in the mix seems to soothe the sting without dulling the effect.?
  • casey613: Thanks for the tip on ethanol and glycerin, helped me avoid the worst of the dryness. Did you go for a higher ethanol percentage, like 90% or so, and how much glycerin did you add? I’ve been sticking with 70% but still getting some irritation, maybe the concentration’s off. Also, any signs of follicle damage creeping in?
  • casey613: Thanks for the ethanol swap tip – tried a 50/50 mix with vodka instead of DMSO last week and the tightness lessened a bit, though the itching still pops up after a couple days. The aquaphor idea sounds solid, added a dropper of that tonight. Curious if you’ve had luck with ethanol long-term or if it’s just a short-term fix? Also, any chance the DMSO irritation was tied to application frequency before you switched?

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