Our appearance says a lot about our health. Here are some red-flag features to watch out for...

If someone just doesn’t look right – they could be ill...

There are a lot of common health issues that could be written all over our face, feet or fingers:

• Early wrinkles in women can hint at a greater risk of lower bone density.

• Swollen feet, without injury, could be a sign you’re more prone to heart disease.

• Pitted fingernails could indicate arthritis and should be checked by a doctor.

• A butterfly rash, which stretches across both cheeks in the shape of a butterfly, is a classic symptom of lupus, an immune-system disorder that affects the skin, joints, blood and kidneys.

• Hair loss can be alarming for women. Pregnancy, stress and hormones could be to blame – but dry, thinning hair can also indicate an overactive thyroid.

• Severely dry or cracked lips can be a symptom of Sjögren’s (SHOW-grens) syndrome, another immune disorder.

• A yellowing in the whites of the eyes could indicate liver disease such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.