Admired, and even rewarded, in the competitive sport of body building, bulging and prominent veins are not something that most want to see on their hands. However, with age, many people’s hand veins become more prominent, making them look “old”. These bulging hand veins with their tortuous appearance can betray one’s age, and even make them look older than they are.

One of the body parts that seem to age faster than the others, hands whose veins do succumb to prominent bulging are considered unsightly by many afflicted with the condition. In a large majority of cases, conspicuous hand veins are normal, healthy veins that become more noticeable with time due to three age related factors:

1) the loss of skin and vein wall elasticity, 2) loss of subcutaneous fat and collagen, and 3) water content of the hand tissue. These factors result in a bonier appearance, with bulging veins that set off the bluish or purplish lines on the back of your hand.

For those of you that are not happy with bulging veins, there are solutions available. A couple of ways to treat hand veins include sclerotherapy and the use of dermal fillers.
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that permanently eliminates a vein. Via a thin needle, a chemical (sclerosant) is injected into the vein which damages the vein’s inner lining causing it to collapse.

A temporary solution to reducing the prominence of hand veins is through the use of a dermal filler. A dermal filler is a naturally-derived or synthetic material that is injected into the skin for the purpose of plumping up the skin. Often used to treat facial wrinkles, it is also used to create fullness on the back of the hand in order to reduce the prominence of veins that appear larger when the hand’s skin loses subcutaneous fat and collagen due to aging. Some dermal fillers can last a year or more and even stimulate the production of collagen.

Though not typically indicative of a medical problem, swollen hand veins can be a symptom of vascular disease. If you notice these veins are larger or more visible than before, do discuss the issue with a medical specialist.

For more information on hand vein treatment options for you, call the Denver Vein Center today at (303) 777-8346.