Why are my veins so visible?

+72 votes
asked Apr 2, 2019 in Health & Wellness by Macie (570 points)
edited May 20, 2019
I am worried, my veins are so visible, all over my body. Arms, chest and legs are more noticeable. Some of the blue lines are also clearly visible along my arms and legs. Friends of mine point it out to me, none of them has the same problem. Should I be concerned? It looks creepy and I am really bothered. Is this normal?

3 Answers

+19 votes
answered May 15, 2019 by Latasha (940 points)
edited Jun 22, 2019
Veins tends to be more visible with age. Children usually have a thicker layer of tissue, made up of mainly fat, under their skin and the veins are harder to spot. While the layer is thicker on the females, in both gender this layer will thin out as you grow older, and with thinner skin comes a more visible veins. As long as you keep a healthy lifestyle, there is probably nothing to worry about, you are just getting older. The main cause of the veins being so visible is the skin becoming more translucent.
+4 votes
answered Jun 24, 2019 by Trinity (850 points)
edited Jul 30, 2019 by Kris

When you find yourself asking, why are my veins so visible, there’re factors other than the age to consider of. For example, the thinning of layer of the skin that brings about the prominent of the veins in the first place can be brought about by various activities or sometimes illness. It could be that you are drinking less water, or that the weather is getting colder, maybe you are getting more stress about work. For women, visible veins along the breast could mean an oncoming period or a new addition to the family. Weight loss and strength training too would often make the vein more visible, being athletic would mean less fat and less of the tissue layer. It shouldn’t be a cause of concern, it’s just your body dealing with your lifestyle changes. Do visit a doctor however if you are feeling ill.

+3 votes
answered Apr 17, 2019 by Brenda (790 points)
edited May 18, 2019
Pigmentation level of the skin would also decide how visible your veins would be. A lighter skin will mean more visible veins, vice versa for the ones with darker skin. Your own body has a different level of pigment in various areas. The back of your hand and arms are darker than the underside, the area that tends to receive sun exposure would have less visible veins. The skin near the wrist and elbow is thinner, so when blood is drawn, it is usually taken from the elbow. All in all, it visible veins is almost purely just appearance. It doesn’t really indicate the state of health of a person.
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