Question:
I'm a 33 years old male of the relatively healthy variety (i.e, no major illnesses despite many little annoyances). I'm recently getting desperate after a problem which is literally grossing me out. I have developed on the upper portion of both my hands huge disgusting-looking violaceous varicose veins; these veins are so swollen as I have seen only (choose the comparison that you prefer) either in very old and sick persons or in drug addicts who got them swollen throwing into them needle after needle. Could anybody offer me some tentative opinion on the possible causes of this sad phenomenon?

Answer: -Varicose veins in the upper extremities are very rare. I suggest you see someone about it. You need to have this looked into. -Causes are hereditary in most instances. What causes them: think in terms of your veins being one-way streets. There are one-way valves in your veins that prevent the blood from moving away from your heart. The mechanism of the varicose veins is when these valves start to leak and lets some of the blood "backflush". There is nothing that can be done about it, short of surgery. In women, especially if they are preganant, prevention is the key, support stockings can help in people that are prone.