ram_in_md said:
Hi Bryan,
This is the strangest thing ever. I went to two local CVS stores...they did not have PG and the pharmacists in both stores were not keen on ordering it specially. I don't know if it CVS has stricter rules...I plan on going to some local mom and pop pharmacies (if they still exist) to see if they can order it for me.
Yeah, I'd go to a few others, until you find one that's willing to order you a bottle of it. Walgreens, Eckards, whatever.
BTW, if they ask you what the hell you want it for, I'd be _almost_ completely honest about it: tell them you want to make some of your own hairloss topicals with it (any real pharmacist is going to know that there's propylene glycol in topical vehicles, like the one used in Rogaine), but don't tell them about the RU58841 you're going to be using. That might freak them out enough, they might decide not to sell the PG to you, after all. I'd make up something very harmless sounding, like how you're experimenting with some topical concoction of your own that uses some natural oils (use your imagination if they press you for more information), and you need the propylene glycol for the topical vehicle.
ram_in_md said:
In the meantime, it has been highly frustrating having the RU and not being able to use it. I did more research and came across this online...what do you think of this product.
http://www.boilerandcoolingwater.com/Pr ... col-USP-1G
Oh, that stuff looks fine, considering that it's USP grade! Of course, a full gallon of propylene glycol is a lot more than you'll ever need!
BTW, here's something else I'd be careful about: propylene glycol is very hygroscopic, and absorbs moisture readily from the air. Keep any bottle of PG tightly closed, in a dry area. If you do go ahead and buy that big 1-gallon jug of the stuff, I think it'd be a good idea to keep part of it in a smaller, clean bottle (maybe a pint or so), and use that one as your "working" bottle. I wouldn't like the idea of frequently taking the cap off that big gallon jug, just to remove a relatively small amount of the PG every now and then when you're making your RU solution. I can imagine a lot of moisture eventually working its way into the PG, if you were to do it that way. Keep all bottles of PG tightly closed.
ram_in_md said:
As a worst case scenario, if I cannot get PG, is there any alternative carrier that would be as effective? Will 70% alcohol and 30% distilled water work?
You could also try using glycerin instead of propylene glycol. In fact, glycerin is used as a substitue in some versions of Rogaine, for people who are allergic to propylene glycol. Dr. Lee sells such a version.