What causes excessive veins in women's arms?

[iwakar]

This seems unusual for a woman. Is it age? Is it their weight-lifting routine? Is it low body fat? Is it the "lanky" body type? Is it a combination? Enlighten me please.

http://gallery.techarena.in/data/521/Madonna.jpg

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/12_04/jolieDM2612_468x712.jpg

http://www.fatbackmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/ttp.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.tmz.com/media/2008/05/0513_manhands_launch_ramey.jpg

It's so... manly.

[Tallulah]

It's gotta have something to do with low body fat, I'm thinking. I don't know who the third woman is, but she frightens me greatly. Whatever causes it, lets figure it out and not do it, shall we?

[iwakar]

It's gotta have something to do with low body fat, I'm thinking. I don't know who the third woman is, but she frightens me greatly. Whatever causes it, lets figure it out and not do it, shall we?

Funk yeah. /fist pound

[Alwar]

My arms look like that when I lift heavy things. Maybe there is a titanium block in their purses.

It is probably low body fat like Tallulah said though, and those women look extremely skinny.

[The Decline]

It's called being human. Guess I shouldn't reveal to you that women also fart, sweat, and poo.

[phthalocyanine]

eep. i'm pretty svelte and i'm nowhere near like any of those. and i am human.

[iwakar]

It's called being human. Guess I shouldn't reveal to you that women also fart, sweat, and poo.

No worries. As a woman, I already knew.

[Udog]

I think copious quantities of drugs can also be part of it.

[Usehername]

When I'm excessively temperature-wise too hot, my veins become noticeable (think Jolie), though not to that degree. Usually I'm always cold (even Africans made fun of my fleece-wearing in Africa) and thus no one would know this fact about me because my veins are otherwise hidden.

If it makes a difference, I weighed 115.6 lbs this morning and I am 5'7".

[Silently Honest]

High Sodium intake resulting in higher blood pressure possibly?

[Synarch]

Lack of body fat in addition to tons of working out. Vascularity is from working out, correct?

[Usehername]

Lack of body fat in addition to tons of working out. Vascularity is from working out, correct?

Hmmm maybe this is when I feel too hot?

I should experiment for TypeC.

[Synarch]

Hmmm maybe this is when I feel too hot?

I should experiment for TypeC.

Well. Larger veins are probably from strenuous physical activity. Extended periods of pushing large weights or holding large weights. As for SJP, she's just old. You can tell the age of a woman by looking at her hands. As Shakira might say, the hands don't lie.

[FireyPheonix]

Madonna's pretty old(ish) too.

[FDG]

It's low body fat, coupled with heavy usage of stimulants (likely amphetamines for Madonna, not sure about the others). Jolie's veins don't look unhealthy, it seems to be more a matter of warm place + pressure due to clothing.

[FireyPheonix]

Is anyone else reminded of Iggy Pop/Gollum?

[Beat]

Low bf% has most to do with it. If you don't have much covering the things, you're gonna see 'em. Just look at those photos... They have virtually no meat on their bones.

[iwakar]

Well. Larger veins are probably from strenuous physical activity. Extended periods of pushing large weights or holding large weights. As for SJP, she's just old. You can tell the age of a woman by looking at her hands. As Shakira might say, the hands don't lie.

SJP is pretty pumped too. Just couldn't find a good pic illustrating the point. Here:
http://www.itwouldbescary.com/images/sjp.jpg

I agree with Beat on the low body fat. I'm thinking it is a combination of those first few possibilities I posed. These women all have these things in common: age, personal body trainers, tough fitness routines (I'd imagine), and they are very slim.

This seems to have become a Hollywood and even upper-class trend among women to be super slim + pumped. Why do these women have to keep upping the ante? Do you guys (men or women) find this look attractive? Right now I'm just shooting to be trimmer and healthier... not pumped. But I have noticed this time around at the gym (as opposed to five years ago when I used to go regularly as well) that I see more women looking ripped. Even my step-mother who is a personal trainer, nutritionist, and gym manager notices more women trying to get "cut." What gives?

[violaine]

Hmm, I like when women are fit and their veins are showing. Barring drug use, it's a mark of fitness to me. I have some veins that pop a little when I am running and I love seeing them. It can also show up in hot weather. It's definitely that these women don't have much body fat and that they work out a lot. They could also be predisposed to this.

Scientific American has a detailed explanation (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-do-veins-pop-out-when) as to why it occurs.

(Also, SJP is not THAT old. Not that I particularly like her. No one seems to say that or even think it about Anderson Cooper or the men around her age. Pfft!)

[Alwar]

This seems to have become a Hollywood and even upper-class trend among women to be super slim + pumped. Why do these women have to keep upping the ante? Do you guys (men or women) find this look attractive? Right now I'm just shooting to be trimmer and healthier... not pumped. But I have noticed this time around at the gym (as opposed to five years ago when I used to go regularly as well) that I see more women looking ripped. Even my step-mother who is a personal trainer, nutritionist, and gym manager notices more women trying to get "cut." What gives?

I don't find it attractive, they look like noodle-armed men and they aren't so much pumped as they are obnoxiously thin. Women seem very competitive about appearance and I would imagine they are just copying each other because no men I know like that look. Healthy and curvy 4-life.

[iwakar]

Hmm, I like when women are fit and their veins are showing. Barring drug use, it's a mark of fitness to me. I have some veins that pop a little when I am running and I love seeing them. It can also show up in hot weather. It's definitely that these women don't have much body fat and that they work out a lot. They could also be predisposed to this.

Scientific American has a detailed explanation (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-do-veins-pop-out-when) as to why it occurs.

(Also, SJP is not THAT old. Not that I particularly like her. No one seems to say that or even think it about Anderson Cooper or the men around her age. Pfft!)

I know veins pop out during exercise, but these women aren't at the gym. They're just struttin' about doin' the Hollywood thing. (I wouldn't be shocked if I saw them this way while doing something physical.)

[violaine]

Ahh, I meandered a bit in that post... I just meant lack of subcutaneous fat and working out a lot leaves some women looking like that. Lack of subcutaneous fat is the reason veins show in elderly folks too so I have read.

[A Schnitzel]

iwakar: Asking the questions everybody's been thinking but too afraid to bring up.

[wolfy]

It's a combination of low body fat and vasodilation caused by their fitness routines.

[iwakar]

I had to wiki vasodilation. Thanks for that wolfy.

Is it safe to assume women were not experiencing this significantly prior to 10, maybe 20 years ago?

[wolfy]

Is it safe to assume women were not experiencing this significantly prior to 10, maybe 20 years ago?

You'd think so. Though I really don't know for sure. The further you go back the more a softer look was popular, even at a low bf. Also, resistance training has only become popular relatively recently.

[FDG]

I do believe, though, that drug abuse plays a part in that kind of horrible vascularity. I have around 7-8 percent bodyfat, and I can see veins in the arms and legs, but they don't look that sick. It seems like their skin is not "moisturized" enough, they're probably using some diuretic too (not angelina jolie, she's fine)

I don't personally like that look. I am fine with a girl being muscular, I can appreciate that, but she has to have some fat otherwise it looks sick.

[Feops]

Do you guys (men or women) find this look attractive? Right now I'm just shooting to be trimmer and healthier... not pumped. But I have noticed this time around at the gym (as opposed to five years ago when I used to go regularly as well) that I see more women looking ripped. Even my step-mother who is a personal trainer, nutritionist, and gym manager notices more women trying to get "cut." What gives?

Being healthy and fit is sexy. And looks aside, there's a definite quality of life improvement when you work out hard. Maybe more women are buying into this as it becomes more acceptable.

I think the women in the pictures take it too far though. The female form is designed to have some curve and softness to it, so without that aspect it looks... unhealthy. Age may be a factor too. I find it hard to pick out their ages.

[FireyPheonix]

Angelinia Jolie looks as though she is just hot. And her veins don't have that ropey look.
I have a question though, could this be the result of high protien diets as well?
I flatted with female trapeze artists for a while, and man, they have a high maintanence exersize routines and diet. If anyone should be ripped, it was them. They were muscley, and could bench press two times thier wieght, but they never looked like that, not even after a workout, or a performance. They didn't have an once of unnecessary body fat, to the point where one of them complained she had lost her boobs. They were very toned. One of then had the best legs and butt I've ever seen on woman (she also had purple/pink hair!)but not ropy and cut like that.

[Happy Puppy]

The bulging veins in the hands I would attribute to issues in blood pressure pushing the blood back to the heart-the blood is pooling a bit in the lower extremities which cause the veins to bulge some.

My veins are very prominant and my skin verges on translucent in places. If I lower my hand, the veins will begin to bulge as the blood pools a bit.

If these women are also very tall and thin-very lanky-it could be a result of natural variety in collegen structure.

I have an inherited disorder called Ehlers-danlos syndrome. Each family has thier own varient but the symptoms are long, thin lanky frames, thin, translucent skin, large eyes and small noses relative to the size of the face. A high level of flexibility can also be seen. hypotension-low blood pressure and pooling of the blood in extremities in also seen-ie the bulging vein as the veins are also hyperflexible due to defective collegen structure.

My family has a very mild varient with some tendonitus like issues. In the general population the genes that contribute seem to be polymorphic and very common, so few people know they have it unless they seek out a rheumy for some other issue. It's just another version of being human.

[NewEra]

Haha wow, when I lift I get like that, but I guess for those women, it does have to do with low body fat and maybe some supplements.

[Giggly]

Bulging veins are kind of hot on men but gross on women. I think women look best with a little bit of fat on them or at least some curves.

[Edge]

lean arms.
think of the skin as being like a vaccum bag around pure muscle and bone which is laced with veins, just like your hands and feet. it comes from working out your arms. i could see faint veins in my arms when i was a bit stronger.

[The Decline]

Found this for you guys veinywoman.com - (http://www.veinywoman.com/page1/)

[iwakar]

...wow.

Well, we all have our quirks.

[Risen]

This seems unusual for a woman. Is it age? Is it their weight-lifting routine? Is it low body fat? Is it the "lanky" body type? Is it a combination? Enlighten me please.

http://gallery.techarena.in/data/521/Madonna.jpg

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/12_04/jolieDM2612_468x712.jpg

http://www.fatbackmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/ttp.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.tmz.com/media/2008/05/0513_manhands_launch_ramey.jpg

It's so... manly.

It's called ANNOREXIA :). If you'll notice, all those women have something in common. ANNOREXIA! At one point or another they were doing that to themselves, and you see the results.

[iamathousandapples]

It's called ANNOREXIA :). If you'll notice, all those women have something in common. ANNOREXIA! At one point or another they were doing that to themselves, and you see the results.

Yeah. The third picture's arms cannot be healthy at all.

[Edge]

annorexia + muscle training. stickly people are still flacid unless they workout.

[Alchemiss]

I'm sorry to say age is a big factor in this. I had imperceptible veins for most of my life (to the point drawing blood for a blood test was a guessing game, ugh) and then almost overnight my forearm veins started bulging intermittently. I weigh roughly the same I always have and am not more buff than before. I talked to my doctor about it and he was amused, saying they weren't that bad and comparing them to his (he's a 6'5" or so skinny man). Nothing pathological in his estimation...