What causes unsightly varicose veins?
Unsightly varicose veins in hands and other parts of the body can occur for several reasons.
1) Age – Hand veins may become more noticeable as one ages, and appear more pronounced in warm to hot climates. When the body ages, the layer of fat surrounding the vein begins to thin out, making the veins more visible. Since heat causes the veins to dilate, the veins appear larger in warmer environments and may bulge out through the skin.
2) Valve failure – Veins transport blood from the periphery back to the heart. In order to do this effectively, veins contain one-way valves that prevent blood from travelling back toward the periphery. When the valves fail, blood begins to pool. This causes the vein to swell and become more visible. Since our hands, among other parts of our bodies, naturally hang down lower than the heart, the hands are a very common location for blood pooling to occur.
3) Other causes – While still not entirely understood, varicose veins are commonly found in pregnant women and those who stand for long periods of time.
Treatments for unsightly hand veins
Surgical removal of the hand veins, or phlebectomy, is the most effective treatment. This procedure involves making several small incisions (about 1/8th of an inch in length) and physically removing the vein at various points along the marked area. The incision is small enough that a single suture can be used to completely heal the wound within a few weeks.
Sclerotherapy is another option for removing hand veins. It involves a series of injections into the vein that cause the vein to collapse. The vein is then absorbed by the body within weeks. Sclerotherapy is a simple, painless process that can effectively restore a hand’s beauty.
Adverse effects are rare for both procedures, and most patients experience little to no postoperative pain other than mild swelling at the sites during the first few days.
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