The problems in sexual functions of vitiligo and chronic urticaria patients

Skin has an erogenic function, and skin lesions can have negative impact on sexual life and relationships with others. We compared fifty vitiligo patients and fifty chronic urticaria patients with fifty healthy controls to assess sexual functions; we used Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX; Mcgahuey, Gelenberg, Laukes, Moreno; & Delgado, 2000). Among females, sexual drive scores of the vitiligo and chronic urticaria groups were significantly lower than those of controls. Vitiligo and chronic urticaria groups experienced significantly more difficulties in sexual arousal and higher failure in attaining and maintaining the lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement until the completion of sexual act than did controls. Females in the vitiligo and chronic urticaria patient groups had more difficulties in reaching orgasm than did healthy controls. Furthermore, satisfaction from orgasm of the patient groups was significantly less than controls. The total scores of the ASEX in female patient groups were significantly higher than those among controls. Satisfaction from orgasm in male patient group was less than controls. In males, other subitems of ASEX between the patient groups and controls were not significant. This study demonstrated that chronic skin diseases such as vitiligo and chronic urticaria have negative impacts on sexual life.