Porphyria Cutanea Tarda: A Case Report

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, which led her to seek laser hair removal. After four treatments, a sore developed on her nose, and biochemical analyses confirmed the diagnosis. The use of oral contraceptives, specifically drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, was identified as a potential trigger, as discontinuation led to clinical improvement. The report highlighted hypertrichosis as an early sign of the disease, often preceding other symptoms, and noted the unclear mechanisms by which estrogens influence disease expression.