ResearchSafe

RU-58841 scalp irritation at week 2, normal or am I reacting to the vehicle?

Posted by rachel_ketogen in Safety & Side Effects - 2 points, 6 comments.

Started RU about two weeks ago, compounded at 50mg/mL in a standard ethanol/propylene glycol mix. First week was fine, no issues, kinda figured I would skate through since its supposed to be super well tolerated topically.

By day 9 or 10 I started noticing itching on the crown area within like 20 minutes of applying. Not intense but enough that I was scratching my head at my desk which is not a vibe 😅. Skin looks slightly pink and theres some flaking I didnt have before. No actual rash or raised bumps yet.

For anyone whos been on it longer, is this just the standard adjustment period where your scalp gets used to it, or is this a sign the carrier solution is the problem and I should ask for a different vehicle? I had a similar reaction early on to minoxidil but that cleared up after a few weeks so Im trying not to panic. Pulled bloodwork before starting just to have a baseline DHT and testosterone reference, will repeat in another month or so to see if anything is moving systemically even though it shouldnt be.

How long did you power through irritation before it settled, or did most people switch carriers?

Comments

  • tracker_jade: Honestly the propylene glycol is the usual suspect here. Antec dot at 50mg/mL is on the strong side too, anecdotally a lot of people do better dropping to 25 or even lower when irritation kicks in. For me with topicals, if it hasnt calmed down by week 3 I switch carriers. PG is in everything and some scalps just hate it. Did you notice it more on days you applied to a damp scalp vs dry? That can make a difference with absorption and irritation.
  • weekendnate: Yeah PG is my first guess too. Antec at 50 is a lot to throw at a scalp that isnt used to it. I dropped from 50 to 25 around week 3 when I got the same pink/itch thing and it calmed down within a few days. Worth a try before you scrap the whole mix. Also echoing their question, damp vs dry application matters more than people think.
  • tiredmira: Damp scalp is a I tried both early on and yeah, the irritation was noticeably worse when I applied to a damp scalp. Basically the absorption ramped up and whatever was gonna bug me, bugged me faster. Ended up switching to a PG free base after week 2 and that cleared it up. 🥗
  • rachel_ketogen: Interesting, the damp scalp thing makes sense cause absorption ramps up with hydration. Ive been applying after a shower so thats probably not helping my case lol. PG free is hard to find in a 50mg/mL though, did you drop the concentration when you switched or just power through at the same dose? And did the itch clear up within days of switching or was it a gradual thing?
  • rachel_ketogen: Dropping to 25 is interesting, I hadnt even considered that route instead of just changing the carrier entirely. Did you notice a difference in efficacy at the lower dose or was the trade-off worth it to you for comfort? I definitely apply to damp hair because it spreads easier but now Im wondering if thats making the PG absorption worse than it needs to be. Might try dry application for a few days and see if that alone takes the edge off before asking my compounding pharmacy about the concentra
  • rachel_ketogen: PG is my first guess too honestly. I havent paid attention to damp vs dry, thats a good call. Most nights I apply right after a shower so its still a bit damp which might be making it worse. Im gonna try dry application for the next week and see if the itching drops off. If not ill ask the compound pharmacy about a lower concentration or different carrier.

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