If you were diagnosed with psoriasis in the past, you might be at a higher risk of developing erection problems compared to someone who has never previously suffered from this skin disease, says new study.

Led by Shiu-Dong Chung, MD, of the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Taipei, the study involved 18,424 men, one-fourth of which had erection problems and a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis in the past.

Quite surprisingly, the study authors found that the treatment group consisted of more men with an earlier diagnosis of the skin condition compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, 1.7% men in the treatment group were diagnosed with psoriasis in the past, as opposed to only 0.4% population in the control group.

To eliminate the risk of extraneous variables affecting the outcome of the study, the authors carefully monitored a number of known impotence risk factors, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and lifestyle habits. Still it was found that prior detection of psoriasis in patients belonging to the erectile dysfunction group was nearly 4 times more likely than those in the non-erectile dysfunction group.

Commenting on the findings, the study authors urged men to be on guard once they are diagnosed with psoriasis – a common skin disease that causes skin irritation and redness and results in flaky, whitish marks on the skin. The experts also noted that physicians treating men with psoriasis should be "alert to the possible development of ED".