Anyone else noticing scalp dryness and flaking with RU-58841?
Posted by retired_coldplunge in Safety & Side Effects - 2 points, 5 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. 📰
Comments
- rachel_ketogen: Yeah the hot shower thing is a real one, damp skin just drives the solvent deeper and irritation ramps up. Dry scalp first and wait 20 min after washing makes a big difference for me too. What helped more than anything was switching to a fragrance free scalp serum with a tiny bit of salicylic acid. Cleared up the flaking in like a week and i never had to drop from 50 mg/mL. Niacinamide didnt do much for the dryness honestly, felt like it just sat on top. Mine settled around week 8 to where i d
- retired_coldplunge: Yeah the damp skin thing was definitely the worst part, I should have read more before I started. Dry scalp and waiting 20 minutes after washing, noted, I haven't been doing that consistently. The salicylic acid serum idea is interesting though, I was only using a plain moisturiser. What concentration are you using in yours? I want to keep my 50 mg/mL schedule if I can.
- patient_codes: The dry scalp first wait thing was huge for me too, I was rushing it for the first few weeks and the flaking was way worse. Salicylic acid serum is a good call, I never thought of that one but it makes sense if it's mild buildup more than straight irritation. Mine cleared around week 7 or 8 as well so hopefully you're almost through it ðŸ§
- retired_coldplunge: Interesting thing is I never tried salicylic acid, I just went the moisturiser route because I figured it was more irritation than buildup. Maybe that's why mine dragged on a bit longer than yours did, the dead skin probably just kept sitting there. How often were you applying the salicylic serum when you tried it?
- weekendnate: Fair point, salicylic acid makes more sense for the buildup angle if it's actually flaking rather than just irritation. I used the serum twice a week on off-days for maybe three weeks before things calmed down. Worth a shot if your moisturiser alone isn't cutting it.
Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.