How to Have a Healthy Sex Life When You Have Psoriasis

Sex is a natural part of life. And it’s something most of us crave on some level. A healthy sex life can lead to greater emotional intimacy in relationships, and even provide some much-needed stress relief. Unfortunately, psoriasis can often get in the way of a healthy sex life, creating both physical and emotional barriers to the intimacy you might otherwise desire.

Physical Roadblocks

It’s extremely common for psoriasis to impact a person’s sex life, said Anna Chacon, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston Hospital. “In fact, one of the most common locations for psoriasis is in the groin, genitalia, and buttocks area—specifically, in the gluteal cleft,” Chacon recently told to us, adding that there is a type of psoriasis called inverse psoriasis that appears in skin folds. “Even for plaque psoriasis, the groin, genitalia and private areas are common, which sometimes causes embarrassment for the patient, hindering their sex life.”

Genital psoriasis impacts two-thirds of patients with psoriasis, according to The National Psoriasis Foundation. And research has found genital psoriasis to be associated with significant impairment in sexual functioning, likely because of the discomfort the condition can cause.