Porphyria Cutanea Tarda: A Case Report
September 2013
in “
Serbian Journal of Dermatology and Venerology
”
Studysummary This case report suggests that hypertrichosis might be an early sign of porphyria cutanea tarda, as illustrated by a woman whose symptoms improved after stopping estrogen-containing oral contraceptives. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This case report described a 23-year-old woman with porphyria cutanea tarda, a metabolic disorder linked to reduced uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity. The patient experienced increased facial and neck hair growth, leading her to seek laser hair removal. After four treatments, a sore developed on her nose, and biochemical analyses confirmed the diagnosis. The patient had been using oral contraceptives, which were discontinued, resulting in clinical improvement, suggesting the contraceptives' role in triggering the condition. The report highlighted hypertrichosis as an early sign of porphyria cutanea tarda, often preceding other symptoms.
