The appearance of hand veins is not a sign of a more serious health problem, but it can become a cosmetic concern for many. Read on to find out the causes and the options available for vein treatment.
What Causes Hand Veins?
Genetic makeup can impact our bodies in various ways, including the appearance of hand veins, but there are also other factors that can increase our chances of developing them.
The most common causes of hand veins are listed below:
- Climate: Weather can impact how noticeable your veins are. When exposed to hot temperatures, your body reacts and increases the blood flow by expanding veins to regulate your internal temperature, which results in the appearance of more prominent hand veins.
- Age: As we age, our skin is less elastic and thins, and our vein valves lose their effectiveness, which can cause blood to pool and expand veins, making them more noticeable.
- High Blood Pressure: Hand veins can expand and protrude with increased blood pressure, causing them to be more visible.
- Exercise: If you participate in weight lifting or strength training, the increased heart rate and blood pressure associated with such activities can expand veins permanently, resulting in the veins appearing more prominently.
- Phlebitis: This usually occurs due to an injury or infection and can cause our veins to become inflamed and enlarged.
Treatment Options for Hand Veins
Nonsurgical Options
Many people think the only option for vein treatment involves surgery, but that’s not true. One nonsurgical option is to keep the skin moisturized. If your skin remains hydrated, the veins shrink and remain small and less noticeable. You can also try doing hand and wrist stretches to keep the blood flowing efficiently and decrease the chances of your blood pooling, expanding the veins.
Surgical Options
While nonsurgical options can temporarily decrease the appearance of hand veins, the only permanent solution is surgery. The good news is that the most common surgical procedures offer minimal recovery time and are virtually pain-free.
Sclerotherapy is one of the most commonly used procedures because of its simplicity, low patient impact, and short recovery time. Patients have a liquified foam injected into the problem vein to close it, thus making it vanish.
Another option you might consider is a cosmetic phlebectomy, which uses tiny incisions to remove the vein.
Endovenous ablation is another procedure to consider. It uses a directed laser to seal the vein and make it disappear.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Treatment Options?
As with any treatment option, there are pros and cons when choosing the appropriate one for your situation.
Pros
- Short Recovery Time: There is minimal downtime associated with surgical vein treatment options. These procedures are typically performed in outpatient settings, allowing you to return to your normal activities shortly after the procedure is completed.
- Cosmetic Improvement: Following treatment, with the reduction of prominent hand veins, you will have a more youthful appearance.
- Minimal Invasiveness: All surgical vein treatments involve small, minimally invasive incisions resulting in limited recovery time and, typically, little to no discomfort.
Cons
- Side Effects: Temporary skin discoloration and bruising can occur.
- Temporary Discomfort: You may have mild discomfort both during and after the procedure.
- Recurrence: While surgery can remove existing hand veins, it doesn’t stop the formation of new veins from appearing.
If you have questions about your hand veins and want more information about possible treatment options, contact us at North Shore Vein Center to schedule your appointment today.