Ever since we were infants, skin-to-skin contact meant closeness, calm and intimacy. So when disorders of the skin like Psoriasis interfere with such an important sexual organ (the skin, our largest by far), there are consequences. Psoriasis is more than a skin condition; it can affect everything from your self-esteem and your mood to your sexual health and well-being. According to a recent study, psoriasis is directly linked to sexual dysfunction and erectile dysfunction. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body’s immune system attacks itself. With psoriasis this means the white blood cells known as T cells attack the skin cells, causing your body to over-produce skin cells and resulting in the red, scaly pile-up of skin cells, or plaque, that is associated with psoriasis. Psoriasis is genetic and non-contagious, but nearly one-third of people with psoriasis report that it has a negative effect on their sex lives.

Psoriasis flare-ups usually occur on a person’s hands, feet, face, neck, scalp, and in the joints, but have also been known to affect the genital area. Having psoriasis is sometimes embarrassing; if you are having a bad flare up it might make you want to stay covered up and avoid intimate situations with a partner, and having a flare-up on your genitals can make sex physically uncomfortable if not impossible.

Depression and anxiety are also more likely for people with psoriasis because the disease can be frustrating to treat and can affect one’s self-esteem. Stress can cause flare-ups, which can lead to more stress, and it might seem like you’re caught in a never-ending battle with your psoriasis. All this can make it difficult to seek out or be receptive to sexual intimacy with a partner.

Does this mean if you have psoriasis you can’t ever hope to have good sex again? Of course not!