Hand Veins

Bulging and prominent veins can make your otherwise toned and attractive hands look aged. These bulging veins are not that necessary to the circulatory system since there are deeper veins that transport blood sufficiently to all parts of your hand. Therefore, if prominent veins on your hands are bothersome, it is safe for treatment to minimize their presence. The treatment can be done through an effective method called sclerotherapy hand vein treatment.

However, it is important to note that for some people, the veins may appear due to medical problems. On the other hand, for a majority of the people bulging veins on the hands is normal and more of a cosmetic issue than a medical condition. To understand more what could cause the veins on your hands to be puffy, let’s look at some of the reasons why you might have bulging veins in the first place;

What causes bulging of veins on your hands?

• • Aging

Aging is one of the major causes of puffy veins on one’s hand. Through the natural process of aging, the skin losses its elasticity making the veins on your hands become more visible. Additionally, aging also causes the valves in the veins to weaken as a result the blood pools in the veins for a longer period of time causing the veins to enlarge.

• • Low body fat

The skin of a healthy human being has a layer of fat that acts as an insulating layer. In the event that the body fat level drops, this fat layer reduces in thickness thus the veins underneath the skin become more visible.

• • Exercising

As much as those long hours in the gym may be beneficial in building a healthy and toned body, it can also lead to superficial veins on the hand to appear puffy. During physical exercises, the blood pressure increases causing the muscles and to swell and harden due to the blood plasma pooling around the muscles. As a result, the veins are pushed toward the surface of the skin hence they become more prominent. Continuous heavy lifting for longer periods the veins keep bulging more and more.

• • Hot weather

Too much heat causes the veins to enlarge, making the veins appear more prominently. Moreover, due to veins enlarging, due to heat, the vein valves tend not to work properly making the veins become more prominent.

• • Vascular disease

Veins related diseases such as superficial thrombophlebitis may also cause them to appear puffier. It is, therefore, a good idea to see a medical specialist, even if you think they are just a cosmetic problem.

Some treatment procedures used in treating bulging veins on the hands is by injection of filler fats. This method only disguises the veins but does not completely eliminate the problem. Therefore the end results are temporary and less than perfect. Nevertheless, with the effective sclerotherapy hand veins treatment, you can restore your youthful look by getting rid of the prominent veins on your hands permanently. Below are some the frequently asked questions about this treatment procedure, to help you understand how the treatment is done;

1. 1. What is sclerotherapy?

This is an effective treatment procedure of the hand veins that involves the injection of a chemical solution called sclerosant into the hand vein. The solution hardens the veins making them disappear. Compared to surgical treatment of hand veins, sclerotherapy is minimally invasive thus has a less recovery time. As a matter of fact, if done by a skilled specialist you can be treated and go back to work on the same day with relatively little pain. Moreover, it is less costly and has zero risks making it a better solution for bulging veins.

1. 1. Does sclerotherapy hurt?

The specialist may use a local anesthesia to minimize the mild pain involved in the procedure. One may also feel a slight pinching on the hand when the solution is being injected and a bit of burning sensation when the solution begins to work close to your veins. The injections depend on the length and number of veins on your hands.

1. 1. How long are the procedure and the recovery process?

The whole treatment procedure takes about thirty minutes, if no complications develop in the process, and gives you permanent results. However, your hand may appear swollen and bruised after the procedure but within a few days, these side effects should have gone away. Additionally, to speed up the recovery process, the doctor may have you wear compression gloves for a couple of days. This not only speeds up the recovery process but also reduce the risk of blood clot.

1. 1. Are there other treatment option for prominent hand veins?

If the sclerotherapy hand vein treatment may not be a viable option for you either due to other medical conditions or the fact that you have to wear gloves during the recovery process which may hinder your productivity in your workplace; there are a couple of other treatment options that may be appealing to you. Here are some of them;

• • Laser therapy

Laser therapy also is known as endovenous laser therapy uses targeted laser light energy to seal of prominent veins on the hand. The laser energy is harmlessly passed through the skin and is absorbed by the red blood cells in the vein causing the veins to slowly fade away and disappear. A cooling device is used to maximize the patient’s comfort during the procedure. Just like the sclerotherapy treatment, the laser therapy is done on in an outpatient setting meaning that after the 90 procedure you can resume to your daily routine. The procedure requires no anesthesia and provides immediate relief of symptoms. The only risks involved are scarring, dyspigmentation and bruising.

• • Endovenous ablation therapy

This is a minimally invasive, image-guided treatment ideal for small veins. The doctor uses radiofrequency or laser energy to burn and close the prominent veins. First, an ultrasound is used to visualize the varicose vein then a laser fiber is then advanced to the desired location within the vein through a special vessel. The vein around the laser is then collapsed by injection of local anesthesia which also serves as an insulator for the heat from radiofrequency or laser energy. The heat is from laser or radiofrequency is then applied to heat the vessel and causing it to close. This makes the bulging vein shrink and scar-down. Although the procedure is commonly used for cosmetic purposes, it can also be used to treat varicose veins.

• • Ambulatory phlebotomy

This is a surgical outpatient procedure used to treat varicose veins. The procedure involves the doctor making tiny incisions on the skin removing symptomatic superficial veins segment by segment. The procedure is quick and requires local anesthesia and produces permanent results. However, this treatment procedure is quite expensive thus making it less of an option. Patients who are allergic to anesthesia and those with arterial circulatory problems are not ideal candidates for this procedure. The side effects such as paresthesia, numbness, and other cutaneous complications make ambulatory phlebotomy discouraging for patients.

• • Veinwave

Veinwave is a treatment procedure used to get rid of small veins on your hands. To perform this procedure, the doctor inserts a thin needle into the top layers of your skin. The needle produces heat through electrical currents, and the heat damages the veins, as a result, the veins close immediately. This treatment procedure is minimally invasive and only takes fifteen minutes. It is done in an outpatient setting and there is no downtime required for the procedure.

• • Venaseal treatment

The venaseal treatment basically involves the doctor inserting a small catheter up the veins. A small amount of cyanoacrylate glue is delivered through the catheter to the vein which closes it. The cyanoacrylate glue is designed to close down the puffy veins and is used on smaller superficial veins that have low blood flow and low-pressure system. This treatment method is effective and uses no local anesthesia. However, after the treatment, you will have to wear a Band-Aid over the puncture area. The only side effect to this method is phlebitis or inflammation of the vein.

• • Vein stripping and ligation

It involves the removal of the superficial veins by making an incision over the veins and then tying off the veins and removing them. This method does not guarantee permanent results as there are chances the veins may re-appear.

Factors to consider when choosing a hand vein removal treatment

1. 1. Price

Generally, the cost of something determines whether you can have it or not. When it comes to hand vein treatments, you should consider your budget and whether it aligns with kind of treatment you want. The higher the cost of the treatment doesn’t necessarily mean that the treatment is effective nor does the vice versa. Be sure to consult with your doctor which treatment is best for you considering your budget.

1. 1. Allergic reaction to local anesthesia

Local anesthesia is used in many of the surgical hand vein treatment, however, complications may develop if the patient is allergic to anesthesia. It is therefore recommended that you check with your doctor if you have allergic reaction to anesthesia. This will help the doctor decide on the effective treatment that does not involve use of anesthesia.

1. 1. Varicose veins

There is no point for cosmetically treating bulging veins on your hands if you suffer from varicose veins. Do so will only treat your condition temporarily, thus, it is important to first get a varicose vein diagnosis before settling for any treatment.

Other simple home remedies for bulging hand veins:

1. 1. In some case, medical treatment procedures may not necessarily be used to treat bulging hand veins. Home remedies such as applying paraffin wax, sugar-scrub, sunscreen, and moisturizer, can be used to protect the skin from harmful sun rays that may lead to bulging of veins. Other simple procedures such as stretching your fingers and wrist are a great way of improving blood flow to the hand thus reducing the appearance of veins on the hands.

1. 1. Drink more water

Drinking water is a magic bullet to a couple of mild medical conditions, such as headaches. But did you know drinking more water every day can also help flush out your body system and reduce the appearance of superficial puffy veins. Water helps the blood flow smoothly thus no blood is left clogged up in the veins, in turn, this makes the veins appear less puffy.

1. 1. Eat more fiber

Fiber isn’t just good for your digestive system it also helps maintain a healthy cholesterol level which can help prevent vascular issues that contribute to puffy veins. In addition to drinking more water, fiber can make a big difference in your overall health.

1. 1. Anti-oxidants

Foods rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients are known to reduce swelling and strengthen collagen in the veins walls, in turn, this helps reduce blood flow in the process. From vegetables to fruits such as mangoes, more of this on your plate and you could reduce the chances of having bulging veins on your hands.

The above medical procedures all work effectively despite some having side effects. It is important to consult your doctor before settling for either of the above-outlined hand vein treatment procedures. This goes a long way in helping reducing complications that may develop due to other health conditions one might have, for instance, allergic reactions to anesthesia.

Depending on the length of the veins, the medical procedure used varies. For instance, small superficial veins- spider veins- scleropathy is highly recommended. For large and more prominent veins, endovenous laser therapy and vein stripping procedures are commonly used.

Generally, ensure the doctor treating your condition is certified to ensure you get the right recommendation of the best treatment that suits you. Dr. Zadeh is one of the best and qualified doctors offering quality hand removal treatment, with guaranteed permanent results. With a vast knowledge, in the field of varicose veins treatment, you can be sure whatever treatment he recommends to is an effective one based on your health condition and the size of your veins.