Many people who exercise their muscles on a daily basis tend to have prominent veins in their arms, legs or forehead. What causes this phenomenon?
People with a high muscle mass and low body fat percentage tend to have more prominent veins . Fat loss associated with aging, being thin, intense exercise, high temperatures, pregnancy, or genetics can cause veins to stand out even more.
Generally, this does not imply a health problem and is mainly an aesthetic issue . However, when the veins become more visible due to excessive strain , it can lead to health problems.
“When you play sports , your veins bulge because the more energy you need, the more blood you need ,” explains Ernesto Pérez, a cosmetic doctor at the FEMM clinic.
Is it advisable to highlight veins during exercise?
It is common to see veins that become prominent when exercising, but it is important to understand to what extent this feature is beneficial or whether it could have any drawbacks. Veins, which carry deoxygenated blood and nutrients back to the heart, can be classified as deep and superficial.
Superficial veins , which are closer to the skin, often become visible and protrude in areas such as the hands, arms, legs , or even the forehead during physical activity .
This phenomenon is more common in the hands and is accentuated with age due to the loss of the layer of fat that covers them. “It’s not that the veins dilate, but that they become more prominent ,” explains Ernesto Pérez, aesthetic doctor at the FEMM clinic.
For his part, Dr. Jesús Álvarez García, an angiologist and vascular surgeon at Vithas Málaga Hospital, points out that “overexertion causes more blood to be supplied to the muscles , producing an increase in the amount of blood that must be drained through the venous system. When you exercise a lot systematically, the veins end up dilating.”
These types of veins can end up forming varicose veins and reduce physical performance.
“The risk is not so much that the veins become prominent , but that the continued overexertion can trigger areas of insufficiency that do not drain properly and can produce varicose veins or areas prone to clotting,” he adds.
This can be negative, since varicose veins “keep venous blood in the area for longer than desired . This can cause changes in the skin and discomfort such as heaviness or itching.”
To prevent the dilation of these due to overexertion during sports, Álvarez recommends “ active recovery , or the use of recovery socks, to facilitate drainage after exercise.”
Vasculitis: causes, symptoms and treatments
There is a type of condition related to the veins and is called vasculitis , which is characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, caused by an abnormal response of the immune system, which attacks these vessels by mistake.
This inflammation can affect various types of blood vessels :
- Arteries: which carry blood from the heart to the organs
- Veins: which return blood to the heart
- Capillaries: These are the smallest vessels and connect the tiniest arteries and veins.
This disease, vasculitis , can be triggered by infections, medications or other pathologies, although many times the cause remains unknown.
Symptoms are varied, but often include fever, swelling and a general feeling of malaise. Treatment focuses on reducing inflammation, using steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs , which are often effective in controlling the disease .
