Question: Hi there,

38 year old male in reasonable health, though overweight and having a hard time losing. I do try to eat reasonably healthy and exercise.

I just had a quick question. In the past few months, I've noticed the top of my feet appear, for lack of a better term, veinier. I see more of the large blood vessels (light blue) as well as a few smaller reddish blood vessels. I've attached a picture, albeit it doesn't capture it as well as I would have liked (it looks darker and paler and is harder to make out the colors I'm seeing). You can see the larger blue vessels all over but especially toward the back of the foot. You can see the small red blood vessels (though they appear darker in the photo) coming from between the 2nd and 3th toe (most visible about an inch behind them). It does seem to vary - sometimes they're less visible, and other times more.

Please let me know if this is considered normal variation with aging. I have been doing a lot of walking/running on a treadmill lately for exercise, so I'm not sure if that could be doing it. (I do wear compressions socks when I run since I'm a bit heavier). No pain or numbness or anything.

Thanks!

Hi there,

38 year old male in reasonable health, though overweight and having a hard time losing. I do try to eat reasonably healthy and exercise.

I just had a quick question. In the past few months, I've noticed the top of my feet appear, for lack of a better term, veinier. I see more of the large blood vessels (light blue) as well as a few smaller reddish blood vessels. I've attached a picture, albeit it doesn't capture it as well as I would have liked (it looks darker and paler and is harder to make out the colors I'm seeing). You can see the larger blue vessels all over but especially toward the back of the foot. You can see the small red blood vessels (though they appear darker in the photo) coming from between the 2nd and 3th toe (most visible about an inch behind them). It does seem to vary - sometimes they're less visible, and other times more.

Please let me know if this is considered normal variation with aging. I have been doing a lot of walking/running on a treadmill lately for exercise, so I'm not sure if that could be doing it. (I do wear compressions socks when I run since I'm a bit heavier). No pain or numbness or anything.

Thanks!

Hi and thanks so much for your help.

I haven't noticed any particular fluid retention symptoms such as noticeably swollen feet, etc. I do wear compression socks when running since I have a few spider veins on my ankles (those don't appear to be any worse and I've had them for years), but the ones on the tops of my feet I haven't noticed previously.

I will be making a doctor appointment in the New Year.

Is it correct that for some people, varicose and spider vein characteristics are genetic and fairly unavoidable, but not necessarily indicating anything serious? I will talk to my doctor, but is there any cause to be overly concerned about these at this time?

Thank you!

Hi and thanks so much for your help.

I haven't noticed any particular fluid retention symptoms such as noticeably swollen feet, etc. I do wear compression socks when running since I have a few spider veins on my ankles (those don't appear to be any worse and I've had them for years), but the ones on the tops of my feet I haven't noticed previously.

I will be making a doctor appointment in the New Year.

Is it correct that for some people, varicose and spider vein characteristics are genetic and fairly unavoidable, but not necessarily indicating anything serious? I will talk to my doctor, but is there any cause to be overly concerned about these at this time?

Thank you!