ResearchSafe

Scalp irritation after starting RU‑58841 – any tips?

Posted by greg208 in Safety & Side Effects - 1 points, 4 comments.

Not gonna lie, I was keen to try a topical anti‑androgen after hearing decent things about RU‑58841 for thinning hair. I mixed 75 mg in a 1 mL ethanol‑propylene glycol base and applied it every night to the crown. After about a week I noticed a mild itching and a few reddened patches where I’d been massaging the solution in.

It wasn’t full‑blown dermatitis, just a dry, flaky feeling that got worse if I skipped the post‑wash. I tried diluting the mix to 50 mg/mL and added a couple of drops of a gentle aloe gel to the carrier, but the irritation still lingers a bit. Anyone else had similar scalp issues with RU‑58841? Any advice on carrier choice or a rinse protocol that helped you avoid the itch without compromising the hair‑growth effect?

Comments

  • aspiring_codes: I had a similar itch when I first tried RU‑58841. My mix was 60 mg/mL in a simple prop‑glyc‑ethanol base and the scalp went flaky after a few days. What helped me was switching the carrier to a 70 % propylene glycol / 30 % distilled water mix and adding a tiny bit of jojoba oil – it cut the dryness without feeling greasy. I also started rinsing with a mild sulfate‑free shampoo about 30 min after application, then letting the product stay on overnight. The irritation dropped off after a week and
  • aspiring_trailrun: That water‑PG mix sounds sensible – I’ve found the ethanol a bit harsh on my scalp too. I’ll give the 70/30 carrier a go and add a drop of jojoba, then rinse with my sulfate‑free shampoo later in the evening. Fingers crossed the flakiness eases.
  • greg208: Gotcha, I’ll try the 70/30 mix with a jojoba drop too and move the rinse to later. I’ve also been using a mild tea‑tree spray after the wash – might help with the dry flakes. If the flakiness drops off, I’ll let you know whether the later rinse makes any diff.
  • greg208: Not gonna lie, the water/prop mix sounds spot on – my current carrier feels a bit too harsh. I’ll try a 70/30 prop‑glyc to distilled water blend with a dab of jojoba and see if the 30‑minute shampoo rinse still lets the compound work. If the itch eases I’ll stick with it, otherwise I might have to drop the nightly dose. Cheers for the tip, mate.

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