ResearchSafe

Persistent scalp tingling with RU‑58841 – tried a simple carrier tweak

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

I’ve been on RU‑58841 75 mg/mL in propylene glycol for about six weeks, applying 1 mL nightly to the crown. First two weeks were smooth, hair density seemed up, but by week three I started getting a mild burning sensation that lingered for an hour after each dose. It wasn’t full‑blown dermatitis – just a persistent tingling and occasional dry flakes that made me question if I’d ruined the scalp.

I swapped the propylene glycol vehicle for a 1:1 mix of ethanol‑free witch hazel and a few drops of jojoba oil, keeping the same RU‑58841 concentration. The change was subtle enough not to dilute the active, and within a few days the burning dropped from a 7/10 to a 2/10 on my personal scale. HRV stayed flat, sleep didn’t shift and my bloodwork (ALT, lipids) stayed normal.

Just a heads‑up if anyone else is seeing similar irritation – a gentler carrier seems to calm the nerve endings without affecting the hair‑growth signal. Might be worth a try before ditching the whole thing. 😅

Comments

  • trevor_recovery: I had a similar case with RU‑58841 a few months back. My scalp was fine for the first week, then a prickly itch appeared around day 5 and lasted a couple of hours after each application. I tried switching from propylene glycol to a light aloe‑gel base mixed with a tiny amount of vitamin E oil. The irritation dropped noticeably within three days, and I didn’t see any loss in perceived density. Did you notice any change in the texture of your hair or flaking after the carrier swap? I wonder if th
  • formererin: Yeah, after the witch‑hazel/jojoba mix the hair felt a touch softer and the dry flakes almost vanished – I was still getting a few tiny specks but nothing like the original white dust. The extra oil seemed to give the scalp a light barrier, which probably helped the tingling ease. Your aloe‑gel + vitamin E sounds similar; I’ll keep an eye on texture if I ever tweak the vehicle again. Fwiw, HRV stayed flat through the switch.
  • vik595: Yeah, after moving to the witch‑hazel/jojoba mix the burning faded within a day and the flakes thinned out. Hair felt a bit softer, maybe the jojoba gave a light seal. I didn’t track density numbers, but the visual fullness stayed steady.
  • formererin: Nice to hear the mix helped you too, especially that the flakes thinned right away. I’ve been wondering if the jojoba is doing more than just a seal – maybe a bit of anti‑inflammatory? If you’re up for it, could you run a quick before‑after photo series just to see if there’s any subtle change in shaft thickness? Fwiw.

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