Bulging Hand Veins: Causes And Treatment - Healthline

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HealthlineSubscribeWhat Causes Bulging Hand Veins?

Medically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD — Written by Scott Frothingham — Updated on October 3, 2025

Causes
When to get help
Treatment
Takeaway

Bulging veins on the hands or arms are often a cosmetic rather than medical issue. Treatment can include removing or closing the specific veins to reduce their appearance.

Maybe you’re uncomfortable with the appearance of bulging veins on your hands. Or maybe you’re worried it may indicate a medical problem.

Bulging veins on your hands can be more noticeable as you age and may bother some people. Usually, bulging veins are functioning as they should and do not indicate any health concerns that require treatment.

But if you’re experiencing symptoms like pain or weakness, it’s possible an underlying health condition could be responsible.

Treatment options are available to reduce their appearance or remove them. However, they are typically not covered by insurance.

Learn what usually causes bulging hand veins and what your treatment options can involve.

What causes hand veins to bulge?

Multiple factors can contribute to bulging veins in your hands. Causes can include:

Low body fat: If your hands don’t have much body fat, veins may appear more prominent.
Age: As you age, your skin gets thinner and loses elasticity, making your veins more visible. The valves in your veins also weaken with age. This can cause blood to pool in your veins for a longer period of time and enlarge the vein.
Genetics: If you have immediate family members with bulging veins, there’s a chance you’ll have them, too.
Hot weather: High temperatures can make it more difficult for your vein valves to work correctly. This can enlarge your veins temporarily.
Exercise: Frequent high intensity exercise may potentially increase the appearance of your veins.

Your blood pressure rises during exercise, temporarily pushing veins closer to your skin. Exercising frequently, especially if you do a lot of strength training, can cause bulging veins. Repeatedly lifting weights in the gym or for work often results in an increase in blood flow and a hardening of the muscles, which can cause prominent veins.

Sometimes, more visible veins can result from a health condition, such as:

Varicose veins

More likely to be found in the leg than the hand, varicose veins appear when your vein valves weaken. This makes them less efficient in preventing blood from flowing backward. Varicose veins can become twisted, enlarged, and painful.

Varicose veins are considered a medical condition. It’s best to talk with a doctor to make sure there isn’t an issue with your blood flow, such as a clot.

»Learn more:Should You Be Concerned About Your Varicose Veins?

Phlebitis

If a hand infection, trauma (such as inserting an intravenous (IV) catheter), or autoimmune disease causes a vein to become inflamed, it could swell. Vein inflammation is known as phlebitis.

It’s best to talk with a doctor about whether treatment is needed.

Superficial thrombophlebitis

Superficial thrombophlebitis is an inflammation of a superficial vein (phlebitis) caused by a blood clot (thrombus). It can occur due to an injury to a vein, such as after having an IV inserted.

You can talk with a doctor about whether they recommend treatment or waiting for the blood clot to reabsorb.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

A bulging hand vein may result from a blood clot deep in the veins of the arm. DVT is a medical emergency, as the clot can potentially break loose and travel to the heart, lungs, or brain, resulting in severe complications.

DVT is more common in the lower extremities, such as the legs. But they can also occur in the upper extremities. Some indications that you may have a DVT in an upper extremity include:

neck or shoulder pain
swelling of the arm or hand
skin that looks blueish
pain that travels (radiates) to the arm or forearm
hand weakness

If you experience symptoms of DVT, it’s best to get emergency medical care by visiting an emergency room.

Pregnancy

Veins in your hands may suddenly become more visible during pregnancy. This is because your body needs to supply more blood and nutrients to the fetus.

»Learn more:Why Are My Veins Suddenly So Visible?

When to talk with a doctor

If you have symptoms of DVT, it’s best to seek emergency medical care. Blood clots can potentially break free and move to the heart, lungs, or brain. It’s important to get blood clot treatment as soon as possible.

If you’re concerned that prominent hand veins may be due to a health condition that needs treatment, it’s best to talk with a doctor, such as a primary care physician.

These doctors help treat a variety of health conditions and help monitor your overall health.

They can also refer you to specialists for treating specific health conditions if it’s necessary.

Specialists who may be involved in treating conditions affecting the veins can include:

phlebologists, who specialize in treating vein disorders
vascular surgeons, who diagnose and treat disorders of the arteries, veins, and lymphatic system
dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons, who specialize in treating skin issues

Find a medical specialist in your area today

Your healthcare team may comprise several people who can provide support.

Sometimes, a medical specialist will be required to help diagnose, manage, or treat a healthcare condition.

You can find the following medical specialists in your area today:

primary care doctor
dermatologist

Treatment for prominent hand veins

The treatment for bulging hand veins depends on the cause. Once a doctor determines the cause, they can suggest treatment.

Treatment of bulging hand veins is often considered cosmetic, not medical. This is because the veins are typically functioning as they should.

The key difference is that insurance is unlikely to cover treatments that aren’t medically necessary, including cosmetic issues. This means that you may need to pay the cost out of pocket.

The cosmetic treatments for bulging hand veins include:

Sclerotherapy, a process of injecting a chemical solution into targeted veins, which causes them to scar and close, reducing their appearance
Endovenous ablation therapy, or laser therapy, which uses amplified light or radio waves to close veins, and is ideal for smaller veins
Ambulatory phlebectomy, the removal of the targeted veins via small incisions, a procedure performed with local anesthesia, which numbs a small area of the skin

In these procedures, after your doctor closes the targeted vein, the blood that used to run in the vein is automatically shifted. The closed vein eventually fades away.

How much does bulging vein treatment cost?

The price you pay out of pocket for treatment for bulging veins that aren’t covered by insurance can vary based on your geographical location, the size and location of the bulging vein, how many veins require treatment, and other factors.

In the unlikely event that your bulging veins are due to a more serious condition, a doctor will offer a specific medical response.

If bulging veins are caused by phlebitis, doctors typically prescribe a treatment plan you can follow at home that may consist of:

anti-inflammatory medications
antibiotic therapy
warm compresses
elevation of your arm

If you receive a diagnosis of thrombophlebitis, your doctor might not recommend prescription treatment. Clots in veins near the surface of the skin are often naturally absorbed in less than two weeks.

If there’s swelling, your doctor might suggest an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medication to relieve it. Otherwise, the treatment is similar to that for phlebitis.

If you have DVT, your doctor will likely prescribe you an anticoagulant blood thinner. If the blood thinners aren’t working or you have a severe DVT, your doctor might have you receive thrombolytic therapy. This is also called “clot buster” therapy and involves taking medications that help relieve blood clots.

»Learn more:Varicose Veins: The Least Invasive Treatment Options

The bottom line

Bulging hand veins don’t indicate a serious medical condition for the majority of people.

If you’re concerned that your prominent hand veins could be a symptom of something serious, or you just don’t like the way they look, make an appointment with your doctor. If there’s a serious problem, they can recommend treatment.

If you want them removed for cosmetic purposes, your doctor may be able to refer you to a specialist to treat them.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Antani MR, et al. (2023). Varicose veins.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470194/
Béliard S, et al. (2023). High physical activity volume is associated with an increase in the calibre of the lower limb veins without impact on functional discomfort: The VARISPORT study.https://www.ejves.com/article/S1078-5884(23)00624-X/fulltext
Cosmetic procedures: Spider vein treatment. (n.d.)https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/spider-vein-treatment/cost
Endovenous ablation therapy of incompetent vein, extremity, inclusive of all imaging guidance and monitoring, percutaneous, laser; first vein treated. (n.d.).https://www.medicare.gov/procedure-price-lookup/cost/36478/
Guanche-Sicilia A, et al. (2021). Prevention and treatment of phlebitis secondary to the insertion of a peripheral venous catheter: A scoping review from a nursing perspective.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8160666/
Molnár AA, et al. (2021). The aging venous system: from varicosities to vascular cognitive impairment.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8602591/
Stab phlebectomy of varicose veins, 1 extremity; 10-20 stab incisions. (n.d.).https://www.medicare.gov/procedure-price-lookup/cost/37765/
Varicose veins. (2023).https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/varicose-veins
Varicose vein surgery cost. (n.d.).https://lavascularspecialists.com/blog/varicose-vein-surgery-cost/
Venous thromboembolism: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). (2022).https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/deep-vein-thrombosis
Yao PY, et al. (2023). Varicose vein treatment: Endovenous laser therapy.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557719/

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Medically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD — Written by Scott Frothingham — Updated on October 3, 2025

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