A recent study analyzing two decades of U.S. Food and Drug Administration pharmacovigilance data found that ethinylestradiol and norethindrone, a contraceptive combination, showed a more than 200-fold increased risk for melasma. The majority of melasma cases occurred in female patients aged 18 to 35 years. Investigators highlighted the strong association between hormonal therapies, specifically combined oral contraceptives, and melasma, noting the importance for clinicians to monitor for drug-induced pigmentation disorders and counsel patients accordingly.

Source: BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology