By Dr. Asnat Raziel, bariatric surgeon specializing in obesity treatment, metabolic health and healthy longevity; Director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Obesity Treatment, Assia Medical, Assuta Ramat HaChayal, Tel Aviv
GLP-1 and psoriasis: a link that now has dermatologists’ attention
The link between GLP-1 and psoriasis came up at Fall Clinical 2026, one of the leading dermatology conferences in the United States. Dr. Angela Fitch is an obesity medicine specialist and a past president of the Obesity Medicine Association. There, she explained why the new obesity drugs also matter for people with psoriasis. In her view, these drugs act directly on inflammatory pathways, not only through weight loss. That is why she urges dermatologists to get to know these medications and prescribe them with confidence.
What Fitch said at Fall Clinical 2026
Her remarks appeared in an interview with Dermatology Times after a multidisciplinary panel at the conference. The panel included Fitch, dermatologists, a clinical pharmacist and a patient representative. Fitch noted that the patient’s perspective is especially important. The discussion focused on GLP-1 drugs as a broad medical tool, not just a weight-loss tool. “We’re talking not just about losing weight, but about gaining health,” she said. She also expects these drugs to receive additional approved uses beyond obesity in the future.
Why psoriasis is not just a skin disease
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the immune system. It causes red, scaly patches on the skin, but the inflammation does not stop there. According to the primer from the US National Psoriasis Foundation, the disease goes hand in hand with other conditions. These include diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, kidney disease and depression. In other words, people living with psoriasis often carry a metabolic burden as well.
Excess fat tissue is an inflammatory state
Fitch described a direct connection between metabolic problems, chronic inflammation and inflammatory diseases in general. Excess fat tissue is not a passive energy store. Instead, it releases substances that promote inflammation and fuel it throughout the body. As a result, in people with obesity, psoriasis tends to be more severe and harder to treat. I have written about this mechanism in detail in my article on obesity and inflammation.
GLP-1 and psoriasis: a direct effect on inflammation
Fitch’s main message was that GLP-1 drugs don’t work through weight alone. “These medications have a direct effect on metabolic health and a direct effect on inflammatory pathways, not just because of the weight loss,” she said. The research supports this. The National Psoriasis Foundation primer reports lower blood markers of inflammation with semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, and with liraglutide. The markers that fell were CRP (C-reactive protein, a general marker of inflammation in the blood) and IL-6, a protein that promotes inflammation. At the same time, deep belly fat also decreased.
What the studies show about the skin itself
The clinical evidence is still young, but it is encouraging. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation primer, existing studies reported a relative drop of about 40% to 80% in the PASI score. PASI is the standard measure of psoriasis severity. The improvement stood out mainly in patients with obesity or diabetes, and quality of life improved as well. The drugs were safely combined with methotrexate and with biologic treatments.
In addition, a new review in Clinics in Dermatology describes the TOGETHER trial. In that trial, researchers combined tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, with the biologic drug ixekizumab. The combination cleared the skin better than the biologic alone in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and excess weight.
GLP-1 and psoriasis: what a large cohort study found
A study published in the British Journal of Dermatology followed people with psoriasis in the US medical database TriNetX. The researchers compared 3,048 psoriasis patients treated with a GLP-1 drug for obesity or diabetes with 3,048 patients who received other drugs for the same conditions. Follow-up lasted two years.
All-cause mortality was much lower in the GLP-1 group (hazard ratio 0.219). The risk of major cardiac events also fell (hazard ratio 0.561). Moreover, the risk reduction was far more pronounced in people with psoriasis than in patients without psoriasis. Finally, the typical side effects were not more common in the GLP-1 group than in the comparison group.
Being precise: what we still don’t know about GLP-1 and psoriasis
Most studies on GLP-1 and psoriasis are small. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation primer, most included only 7 to 48 patients. They lasted up to six months and had no control group. It is also hard to separate the direct effect on inflammation from the contribution of weight loss. For this reason, these drugs are not currently an approved treatment for psoriasis. The foundation recommends considering them as an add-on treatment for suitable patients with metabolic conditions. That holds until large randomized trials arrive.
Why treatment is long term
Fitch stressed a point that many patients find hard to hear: GLP-1 treatment is chronic treatment. “When you stop the medication, not only does the weight come back, but the metabolic benefits disappear too, even before the weight has fully returned,” she said. The data back her up. In the STEP 1 extension study, a year after stopping semaglutide, participants regained about two-thirds of the weight they had lost. Most cardiometabolic markers also drifted back toward baseline. I cover this topic in depth in my guide to stopping weight-loss medication.
GLP-1 and psoriasis: who can prescribe the treatment
Fitch believes dermatologists can prescribe GLP-1 drugs just as they prescribe other medications in their field. The condition is a discussion with the patient about side effects and the balance of benefits and risks. According to her, more than 100 million people in the United States need obesity treatment. There are not enough doctors of any kind to treat them all. “The more doctors there are who prescribe these medications confidently and safely, the better,” she said.
On the other hand, she warned against buying these drugs online without medical supervision. Even a dermatologist who is not comfortable prescribing can start the conversation. Afterward, they can refer the patient to an obesity specialist or a family doctor.
What this means if you live with psoriasis
First, do you have psoriasis along with excess weight, diabetes or fatty liver disease? If so, it is worth talking about it with your dermatologist and your family doctor. Second, these drugs are not a substitute for dermatological treatment. Rather, they are a possible addition that treats the related conditions. In addition, it is important to plan ahead for long-term treatment rather than a short “course.” Finally, buy medications only at a pharmacy and with a prescription. I wrote about choosing the right treatment in my guide to weight-loss medications.
The bottom line
The story of GLP-1 and psoriasis reflects a deep shift in medicine. Obesity is an inflammatory state, and treating it calms inflammation throughout the body, including the skin. The evidence on the skin itself is still limited, but the direction is consistent, and the data on the heart and on mortality are strong. Therefore, people with psoriasis and a metabolic burden deserve an open conversation about this treatment, under medical supervision and for the long term.
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.
References
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of GLP-1 Medications in Psoriasis and Obesity
The National Psoriasis Foundation Primer on GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Psoriasis: A Review
GLP-1 receptor agonists in psoriasis management
The STEP 1 trial was funded by Novo Nordisk.
