Did you just spot a few purplish streaks running along your breasts? If so, you’ve got a case of visible veins, a common early pregnancy sign. Prominent veins can appear in the first trimester and crisscross their way all over your body, especially on your abdomen and breasts.
While veiny breasts are not as noticeable as varicose veins, they’re among the many pregnancy skin changes you may experience. These newly apparent blood vessels can appear earlier and be more pronounced if you're fair-skinned, and they may show up later or not at all in women with darker skin.
How soon do veins show in breasts when you’re pregnant?
Bluish or purple veins often start to appear in the first trimester by about week 10, which is when your body has started producing more blood to support you and your growing baby. Your veins enlarge to accommodate the higher blood volume, and they’ll likely continue to become more visible throughout pregnancy.
What causes veiny breasts during pregnancy?
What you're seeing is a vital part of your growing baby's support system — the network of veins that carries your increasing blood supply and nutrients to your fetus. That's because your blood volume rises significantly during pregnancy, and your veins are hard at work keeping up with the flow.
But there are other reasons you may see blue veins on your breasts, including the following:
- Family history. Genetics play a role in visible breast veins, just as they do with enlarged leg veins.
- Breast size. Larger breasts have more visible veins, whether due to weight gain or augmentation surgery.
- Mondor’s disease. This benign condition causes noticeable veins in the breasts due to inflammation.
- Breastfeeding. Visible veins can also be apparent during breastfeeding when breast size increases.
What you need to know about veiny breasts during pregnancy
As with most pregnancy changes, the prominent veins you see on your breasts aren’t there to stay. In fact, you’ll probably sport them now and for a short time post-delivery if you breastfeed — after which visible veins tend to fade on their own. In the meantime, think of this condition as the blueprint of your baby's prenatal well-being.
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Can veiny breasts be treated during pregnancy?
If you’re plotting to get rid of purple veins on your breasts, your best bet is to just sit tight. Outside of wearing a more supportive bra (which can provide relief if the veins are bulging), there’s not a lot you can do. These veins will almost certainly go back to normal after you give birth.
If you're breastfeeding, the veins on your breasts will remain noticeable, but when you start weaning your baby, even those visible lines will be gone for good — or until your next pregnancy. But if they persist and they bother you, a cosmetic dermatologist may be able to perform laser therapy to shrink veins or inject a solution that can collapse the vein.
It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on any new veins that pop up and contact your doctor if you feel a lump or any type of breast pain.
Can you prevent veiny breasts?
Unfortunately, if you have a family history or your breasts are on the larger side, visible veins aren’t preventable. But you can try and hide them: Some women hit the drugstore to camouflage their veins with makeup, but skip the self-tanner for now. The long-term effects of the active ingredient inside (dihydroxyacetone, or DHA) on pregnancy are still unstudied.
Try to take veiny breasts during pregnancy in stride and know that they’re just your body’s way of prepping for your baby on board now and after delivery, if you decide to breastfeed. And once your tot is trying solids and drinking from a cup, veiny breasts should soon be behind you.
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