Why are my cheeks red?

Symptoms: You’ve developed redness and swelling, dilated veins and pimples over your cheeks, nose, forehead and chin.

You’ve suddenly got bright red cheeks that look as though you’ve been slapped. You’ve also got the symptoms of a cold with a cough and sneezes.

You have a bright red butterfly-shaped rash over your cheeks and nose. You’ve also noticed that the joints in your hands are painful.

It could be: Rosacea, an abnormality in your facial blood vessels which causes them to flush persistently and look red with visible lumps.

Slapped cheek syndrome, sometimes called fifth disease due to a mild viral infection which can be confused with scarlet fever and German measles in children.

Lupus – an autoimmune disease in which your immune system starts to attack healthy tissue in many parts of the body.

Stop it: Avoid extremes of temperature and central heating, don’t eat highly spiced food and stay away from alcohol. Never use steroid creams on your face. You may need to see a dermatologist for treatment.

The virus is infectious so stay at home until the rash subsides. Take paracetamol for your cold symptoms but if you’re pregnant see your doctor as there may be an increased risk of miscarriage.

See your doctor asap. You’ll need quite a few tests to assess which organs lupus is affecting and get appropriate treatment. It also makes you sensitive to sunlight so stay out of the sun.