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Medications
PubMed · December 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx) helped people with moderate to severe psoriasis — a skin condition causing red, scaly patches — achieve complete clearance in especially difficult areas like the scalp, nails, and palms and soles of the feet. Compared to several other treatments, bimekizumab led to higher rates of complete clearing in these areas, and those results held up over four years of treatment. This appears to be a new option showing strong and lasting results for psoriasis in areas that are often hard to treat.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether bimekizumab might work better than the patient's current treatment for clearing up psoriasis on the scalp, nails, or hands and feet.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that an oral pill called icotrokinra significantly reduced the severity of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis compared to a placebo (an inactive pill used for comparison). By week 16, about 73% of people taking it saw their psoriasis improve by at least 75%, versus only 11% on the placebo — and the rates of side effects were similar between the two groups, suggesting it was well tolerated. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed (Guideline Reviews) · June 1, 2026
According to the French Society of Dermatology's updated 2025 guidelines, doctors treating adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly, inflamed patches — should consider methotrexate, adalimumab, or ustekinumab as first-choice whole-body (systemic) treatments, meaning medications that work throughout the body rather than just on the skin. The guidelines also give specific direction for situations where a treatment isn't working well enough, when psoriasis affects the joints, or when a patient has other health conditions or is planning a pregnancy. This update matters because it replaces older 2019 guidance and reflects the latest available treatments, helping doctors make more informed decisions tailored to each patient's individual situation.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should consider methotrexate, adalimumab, or ustekinumab as a first treatment option for the patient's moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
Medications
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that switching multiple times between Humira (adalimumab) and its biosimilar AMJEVITA — a lower-cost version of the same medication — did not meaningfully change how the drug behaved in the body for people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, a skin condition causing thick, scaly patches. Researchers found that the safety profile and drug levels in the blood stayed similar whether patients stayed on Humira the whole time or switched back and forth between the two versions. This appears to be new evidence supporting that these switches can be made without major changes in how the medication works.
Medications
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx) helped Chinese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition that causes thick, scaly patches — clear or nearly clear their skin significantly better than a placebo (a dummy treatment with no active medicine). Researchers found that after 16 weeks, about 94% of patients taking bimekizumab saw major skin improvement, compared to just 3% of those taking the placebo. This appears to be a new efficacy finding specifically for Chinese patients, as earlier global studies included very few people from this population.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether bimekizumab might be a treatment option the patient should know about, since a recent study found it worked well for clearing psoriasis in Chinese patients.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that a new experimental pill called balinatunfib, which works by calming a specific part of the body's inflammation process, showed signs of reducing psoriasis lesion severity compared to a placebo (a dummy pill with no active ingredient) over just four weeks — with patients seeing noticeable improvement as early as week two. The most common side effects were a change in taste and mild nausea. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with psoriasis who lost weight — through diet, exercise, or weight-loss medications — saw meaningful improvements in their skin symptoms compared to those who didn't follow a weight-loss program. On average, participants lost about 6.7 kg (roughly 15 pounds), and those who lost weight were about 60% more likely to achieve a major reduction in skin flare-ups and redness. Someone with psoriasis might want to ask their doctor whether weight management could be a helpful part of their overall care plan.
What's New
PubMed · May 17, 2026
Researchers found that bimekizumab, a newer biologic medication (a drug that works by targeting specific parts of the immune system), was more effective at clearing skin in people with psoriasis than several other established biologic treatments, including adalimumab, ustekinumab, and secukinumab — with more patients achieving completely or nearly clear skin. This could matter for people with psoriasis who haven't gotten enough relief from other biologic options, since having more effective choices may help those with harder-to-treat cases. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers analyzed hundreds of studies to piece together what factors may actually cause psoriasis — not just appear alongside it — and found that disrupted fat metabolism in the blood, particularly higher levels of LDL cholesterol (often called 'bad' cholesterol), may play a role in raising psoriasis risk; they also found possible connections between psoriasis and depression, suggesting the two conditions may influence each other in ways that go beyond coincidence. This kind of research uses a clever method of reading genetic clues to help sort out cause-and-effect relationships, which could eventually point scientists toward new treatment targets. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called imsidolimab helped people with a rare and serious skin condition called generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) — a form of psoriasis that causes painful pus-filled blisters and can be life-threatening. In the study, about 53% of patients who received imsidolimab had their skin rated as clear or almost clear after four weeks, compared to just 13% of those who received a placebo (an inactive treatment). This appears to be a new treatment option being studied for GPP, which currently has very few available therapies.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether imsidolimab might be an option for the patient if the patient has generalized pustular psoriasis that keeps flaring up.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that certain medications used to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis — a form of joint inflammation linked to psoriasis — can affect cholesterol and fat levels in the blood in meaningfully different ways depending on which drug is used. For example, a class of medications called JAK inhibitors (such as Rinvoq or Xeljanz) appeared to raise several types of cholesterol over time, including both 'good' (HDL) and 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol, while another class called TNF inhibitors seemed to lower overall cholesterol levels. This matters because changes in cholesterol can affect heart health, so people with psoriasis and their doctor may want to keep this in mind when discussing treatment options. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the biologic or small-molecule inhibitor the patient is taking or considering for psoriasis might affect their cholesterol or other fat levels in the blood.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly patches — who showed significant skin improvement within just the first two weeks of taking a medication called vunakizumab were much more likely to have clear or nearly clear skin a full year later. In other words, how well someone's skin responded early on turned out to be a strong clue about how well the treatment would keep working over time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 8, 2026
Researchers found that in people with psoriasis, the layer of fat tissue just beneath the skin — not just the skin's surface — shows strong signs of inflammation, even in areas where skin looks normal. They also found that people with both psoriasis and obesity had more than twice the level of this fat tissue inflammation compared to those without obesity, and that a treatment called secukinumab helped reduce it, especially in obese patients. This suggests psoriasis may affect the body more deeply than previously thought, beyond just what's visible on the skin. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 2, 2026
Researchers found that people exposed to higher levels of air pollution — such as traffic-related fumes and fine particles in the air — as well as certain industrial chemicals were more likely to develop psoriasis or have more severe flare-ups, even when accounting for genetic factors. This suggests that where someone lives and the quality of their air and environment may play a meaningful role in whether psoriasis develops or worsens, not just their genes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that some people with psoriasis develop a rare skin change called eruptive lentiginosis — where small, dark brown spots appear on areas where psoriasis plaques have started to clear up. This was seen across a wide range of ages, skin tones, and different types of psoriasis treatments, suggesting it may be a broader side effect of the healing process rather than tied to one specific treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that when people with psoriasis temporarily stopped taking certain biologic medications — drugs that target specific proteins in the immune system to calm skin inflammation — their psoriasis was more likely to come back compared to those who kept taking the medication continuously. However, one newer medication called bimekizumab showed a lower risk of the skin condition returning after stopping, similar to another drug called guselkumab, which may be encouraging news for people who need or want to take breaks from treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx), a treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing red, scaly patches — helped patients feel better over three years, not just by clearing their skin but also by reducing itching, skin pain, and scaling. Researchers found that patients reported meaningful improvements in their daily quality of life that held up over the full three-year period. This appears to be new longer-term evidence supporting how this treatment affects patients' day-to-day experience, beyond what doctors can measure in a clinical exam.
Medications
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx), a medication that targets certain proteins involved in skin inflammation, helped people with psoriasis achieve clear skin and kept it clear for up to four years in nearly three out of four patients who responded early to the treatment. Researchers also found that the drug appears to work by reducing a specific group of immune cells in the affected skin that drive the disease. This is new research into the long-term effectiveness of an existing treatment option, not a safety update or guideline recommendation.
Medications
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that secukinumab (brand name Cosentyx), a medication given by injection to treat psoriasis — a skin condition that causes red, scaly patches — continued to work well for children and teens aged 6 to 17 with severe psoriasis over nearly five years (236 weeks) of treatment, with most young patients seeing major improvements in their skin and quality of life. Researchers found that the medication was generally well tolerated over this long period, which is noteworthy because long-term safety data for psoriasis treatments in children has historically been limited. This appears to be new evidence supporting the longer-term use of this treatment option in younger patients.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that a traditional Chinese medicine technique called fire needle therapy — where heated needles are briefly applied to the skin — reduced psoriasis symptoms significantly more than a comparison treatment in people with plaque psoriasis, with more than half of those treated seeing their symptoms cut by at least 75%. Researchers also found that patients' quality of life improved meaningfully, and no harmful side effects were reported during the four-week treatment period. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that certain biologic medications — which are specialized injectable treatments that target specific parts of the immune system — may work better than others for children and teenagers with moderate to severe psoriasis, a skin condition causing red, scaly patches. For example, one medication called Ixekizumab ranked highest for completely clearing the skin, while another called Ustekinumab appeared to do the best job improving kids' daily quality of life. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that the number of people living with psoriasis — a chronic skin condition that causes red, scaly patches — nearly doubled worldwide between 1990 and 2021, reaching 43 million people, and is expected to keep rising through 2040. The condition was most common in people between ages 50 and 70, and was strongly linked to factors like obesity, low physical activity, air pollution, and sun exposure. The total global cost reached nearly $149 billion in 2021, covering both medical care and lost work time — suggesting that psoriasis places a significant burden not just on individuals but on entire health systems. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that an experimental oral pill called ME3183 helped significantly reduce psoriasis symptoms in people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis — the kind that causes raised, scaly patches on the skin. In a study of 132 people, those taking ME3183 were much more likely to see their skin clear up by at least 75% after 16 weeks compared to those taking a dummy pill, though some people experienced side effects like diarrhea, nausea, and headaches. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · March 20, 2026
A study found that sliding cupping therapy — a traditional Chinese medicine technique where a cup is moved across affected skin until it turns purple — worked about as well as a standard light therapy called narrowband UVB for reducing the severity of plaque psoriasis over 8 weeks. Researchers measured things like how much skin was affected, how bad the patches looked, and patients' quality of life, and both treatments showed meaningful improvements with no significant difference between them. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed · March 19, 2026
According to the Psoriasis Working Group of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, dermatologists should routinely ask patients with psoriasis about their sexual health, since the condition can significantly affect intimacy and emotional well-being — yet this topic is often skipped during appointments. The guidelines outline 23 agreed-upon recommendations covering how to spot sexual health concerns early, how to manage them, and when to refer patients to other specialists. This matters because addressing the full impact of psoriasis — not just the skin — can make a real difference in how people feel day to day.
What's New
PubMed · March 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with psoriasis tend to have an imbalance in their gut bacteria — meaning the mix of bacteria living in their digestive system looks different from people without the condition — and that certain chemical processes those bacteria carry out also appear to be disrupted. This is interesting because it suggests a possible connection between gut health and the skin inflammation seen in psoriasis, which could one day point toward new ways of understanding the condition. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · March 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with plaque psoriasis who weren't getting enough relief from their current biologic medication — a type of drug that works with the immune system — saw meaningful skin improvement after switching to a new medication called picankibart, given as an injection every 12 weeks. Even patients who were already doing well on their previous treatment largely kept their results after switching, and many reported a better quality of life. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient might benefit from switching to picankibart if the patient isn't seeing enough improvement from their current psoriasis treatment.
What's New
PubMed · March 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called vunakizumab helped people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly patches — see significant skin clearing, with many patients noticing improvements in just a few weeks, even those who had already tried other treatments. The study also found that people taking vunakizumab reported less itching and a better quality of life compared to those who received a placebo (a dummy treatment with no active medicine). This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
PubMed · March 1, 2026
A study found that people with psoriasis who used omega-3 fatty acids — either applied directly to the skin or taken by mouth through sources like fish oil or certain foods — saw meaningful improvements in their skin symptoms. Researchers measured these improvements using standard psoriasis severity scales, which track things like redness, thickness, and how much of the body is affected. Most of the nine studies reviewed pointed in the same direction: getting more omega-3s, whether topically or orally, appeared to help calm psoriatic skin flares.
What's New
PubMed · March 1, 2026
A study found that among people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with a medication called vunakizumab, about one-third showed very fast and complete skin clearing early in treatment — researchers called these people 'super responders.' These super responders continued to have better skin outcomes and reported feeling better overall compared to those who responded more slowly, yet both groups experienced side effects at similar rates, meaning faster responders didn't face any extra safety risks. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.