and “see a doctor immediately.”
I finally called my doctor. Her answer was reassuring and surprisingly simple: “Most new visible veins are nothing to worry about. But let me tell you what to actually look for.”
This is what she told me.
First, Why Do Veins Become Visible in the First Place?
Veins are blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to your heart. They have thin walls and sit closer to the surface of your skin than arteries. That’s why you can see them at all.
Veins become more visible for many reasons, most of them harmless:
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Thinner skin: As you age, your skin loses collagen and becomes more translucent. Veins that were always there become more visible.
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Low body fat: Fat sits between your skin and your muscles. When you have less body fat, veins are closer to the surface.
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Genetics: Some people are simply born with more
