Psoriatic Arthritis 101

EspañolSeptember 28, 2026, is Psoriatic Arthritis Awareness Day.If you’ve heard of psoriasis, you probably know it as a skin disease that causes a red, itchy rash. But the inflammation linked to psoriasis can also affect your joints, leading to a disease called psoriatic arthritis (PsA).Roughly 1 in 3 people with psoriasis also has PsA. Although men are as likely as women to be diagnosed with the disease, women have a harder time with pain, disability and overall quality of life as a result.Understanding PsA, including what it looks like and how it’s treated, may help you live more comfortably with the condition.What causes psoriatic arthritis?Researchers don’t know what causes PsA, although your genes may play a part. About 2 out of 5 people with PsA have at least one close family member who also has PsA or psoriasis.If you are already at genetic risk of developing PsA, it’s possible something in your environment (like an injury or infection) could trigger the disease. For people living with psoriasis, where psoriasis shows up can be a risk factor for PsA. For example, people with scalp psoriasis are nearly four times more likely to have PsA than people who don’t have scalp psoria...