OBJECTIVES: Assess the impact of atopic dermatitis on the patient's sexuality. METHODS: Atopic patients consulting spontaneously their dermatologist were given two questionnaires: the first one was completed by the patient himself/herself and the second, by the patient's partner, if this was the case. Patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire on sexuality and two questionnaires on quality of life: a generic questionnaire (SF-12) and a specific one for skin pathologies (DLQI). Partners were asked to complete the same questionnaire on sexuality as well as the SF-12 questionnaire. The dermatologist was asked to assess AD severity using the SCORAD index. RESULTS: Sex ratio for our population (n=266) was 34.2% of men versus 65.8% of women. Mean age of our population was 33.4 years old (SD:12). The average number of years with atopic dermatitis was 18 years (SD:13.8). Severity of AD was determined by the dermatologist using the SCORAD index. According to this classification, 1.6% of our population presented a mild form of atopic dermatitis, 44.1% a moderate form and 54.3% a severe form. Only 10.5% of interviewed subjects said that their atopic condition had never affected their physical appearance. They were also 18.3% to speak about their partner's fear of catching the disease. For 57.5% of the subjects, atopic dermatitis resulted in, at least some of the time, a decrease in sexual desire. Aspect of AD (redness, dryness) was affecting their sexuality at least from time to time for 55.4% of them. Regarding treatment, 46.8% declared an impact of the latter on their sexuality. CONCLUSION: Results of this study underline the sizable impact of atopic dermatitis on sexuality. Over one patient in two reported a decrease in sexual desire. AD should hence be more considered as a public health problem so as to provide patients with better global management.