Psoriasis patients may have an increased risk of depression, according to a recent study.

Researchers found that Psoriasis, a common skin condition that affects millions of Americans, doesn't just affect the skin, it can significantly impact a patient's quality of life.

"Psoriasis in general is a pretty visible disease," study author Dr. Roger Ho told HealthDay. "Psoriasis patients are fearful of the public's stigmatization of this visible disease and are worried about how people who are unfamiliar with the disease may perceive them or interact with them."

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from more than 12,000 adult patients who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Ho and his colleagues saw that nearly 16.5 percent of the psoriasis patients studied met the criteria for major depression, and the odds of having major depression were doubled among psoriasis patients, healio.com reported.

Dr. Ho believes the connection between psoriasis and depression may be linked to the public's stigmatization of psoriasis. The condition is highly visible on the skin, especially in the summer months when more skin is exposed.

"The public should know that psoriasis is not contagious, so there is no need to act differently around psoriasis patients than you would around anyone else," Dr. Ho said.

Dr. Ho initially expected that patients' likelihood of depression would be linked to the severity of their psoriasis, but his research indicated that this is not the case.

Although the study indicates an association between psoriasis and depression, it does not prove that one causes the other. In order to learn more about the connection between these two conditions, he says, researchers will need to further investigate the nature of that connection and the science behind it.

"There may be some biologic or genetic factors in play that we are not aware of yet," Ho said.

Ho suggests psoriasis patients should be aware of their depression risk and consult a doctor immediately if they experience any depression symptoms.

The findings were presented at the American Academy of Dermatology's 2015 Summer Academy Meeting in New York.