Why Do the Veins in My Hands Stick Out?

Veins Popping out of Hand

Veins are a normal and natural part of the body. Everyone has them in specific places on their bodies, but there are some parts of the body where veins are more noticeable than others. There are veins in the legs, the feet, the arms, even the face. When the valves of your vein become weak or damaged, the veins may appear discolored or like bulging cords visible through the surface of the skin, a condition known as varicose veins.

veins popping out of hand

Why do My Veins Pop out on My Hands

However, not all bulging veins are varicose veins. Depending on where the veins are located on the body, bulging veins are normal and very common. This is particularly the case when it comes to veins on the hands. There are a few reasons why the veins in your hands stick out, one of the primary causes being age. As you age, your skin loses its elasticity and becomes thinner. As the skin on your hands thins out, the veins become increasingly more noticeable.

Here are a few other normal, everyday reasons why the veins on your hands are so noticeable:

Low Body Fat Percentage: This is pretty self-explanatory. If you don’t have a lot of fat on your body, your veins are more likely to pop out. The hands are already a part of the body that doesn’t necessarily have too much fat on them, so if you are particularly thin, the veins in this area will become very noticeable.

Genetics and Family History: As with many health conditions, genetics can play a very large role. If you have family members who have noticeable veins in their hands, chances are that’s the reason why it’s happening to you too.

why do the veins in my hands stick out

Frequent Exercise, especially Strength Training: Weight lifting has the potential to ruin the appearance of the hands in many ways, both internally and externally. Frequent barbell or dumbbell use can cause calluses on the palms of your hands, and this physical activity also causes your blood pressure to rise, which results in veins being pushed closer to the surface of the skin. Many times, the visibility of the veins will dissipate once your blood pressure goes back to normal, but if heavy lifting is a part of your daily routine, there is a chance that the bulging hand veins can become permanent. This is because the act of repeatedly picking up weights often increases blood flow and can harden the muscles, which makes the veins look more prominent.

Hot Weather: Believe it or not, the temperature can have an effect on the valves within your veins, even if you are a young and healthy individual. Extremely hot weather makes it hard for the valves to work properly and results in enlarged veins, which inevitably will appear more noticeable.

Varicose Veins could be the reason for sticking out your Hand Veins

In addition to these non-medical causes, there are also venous and/or health conditions that could be the culprit for why your hand veins are sticking out. As mentioned, varicose veins could be the reason, although these types of veins are more often found in the lower extremities. Another reason could be inflammation of the vein, called phlebitis. This can happen if there has been some kind of infection or trauma to the hand, or it could be the result of an autoimmune disease. Bulging hand veins can also happen because of a blood clot in a vein deep in the arm, known as deep vein thrombosis.

veins in hands bulgingAside from bulging, there are other ways your hand veins may stick out, like discoloration or bruising of the skin surrounding the vein. Bruising is typically associated with an injury or a popped vein, while color changes like blue or green could signal something else going on beneath the skin. Blue usually indicates that the veins are being abnormally stretched underneath the surface, which can sometimes be painful. Green vein lines can sometimes be a sign of varicose veins, and if the veins look very dark, it can be a result of low oxygenated blood.

Contact Our Vein Expert at Fox Vein & Laser Experts

Regardless of why your veins are so noticeable on your hands, Dr. Susan Fox and her expert medical team can help. At Fox Vein & Laser Experts, we use the most advanced technology in the industry to diagnose and treat venous diseases, as well as annoying and unsightly veins that are just visibility unattractive.

You use your hands for just about everything, and we don’t want you to feel embarrassed about them, or feel any pain or discomfort. Even if there is no underlying medical condition causing your veins to stick out, getting older is inevitable, and aging, thin skin causes visible veins. Dr. Susan Fox can perform a quick and easy sclerotherapy procedure to treat the veins in your hands. This minimally invasive treatment is the primary procedure used to treat varicose and spider veins. It’s safe and extremely effective in getting rid of your hand veins. Call us today to schedule a consultation.