Psoriasis is a long term skin condition.  The skin cells grow too quickly and end up looking thick and white, silvery, or red.  These patches of thick skin occur mostly on the elbows, backs, knees, hands, feet, and scalp.  

This is not only a painful situation, but painfully embarrassing.  Anyone who has had psoriasis knows the embarrassment of trying to cover up the plaques.  Having to wear long sleeve shirts and pants even in the hottest summer can be frustrating and in an attempt to minimize attention to yourself, you have now brought attention to yourself for different reasons.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that there are seven new sites in DNA variation that are linked with an increase risk of psoriasis.  Psoriasis has also been found to be linked to type 1 diabetes, graves disease, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.  These are all autoimmune diseases.  

By uncovering these genetic links, scientists can now target drugs specifically for those pathways.  This could mean more effective psoriasis treatments in the future.  They are currently doing a larger genetic study and hope to uncover more genetic variations specific to psoriasis.