If your veins look green, watch this!
Updated: Jun 14, 2024
The reason your veins show up green :
Many of you may remember that oxygenated blood are pinkish-red and deoxygenated are dark-red but why do your veins appear green on your skin? Green has a higher frequency or lower wavelength compared to the colour red. So, the reddish colour gets blocked by all the skin, muscles and receptors underneath, allowing green to be more prominent.
Simple test for veins :
A good way to test if those green vessels that you see are veins and not arteries is the lower pressure. Every time you get a cut, the blood leaks out slowly instead of splattering everywhere. Since arteries have higher blood pressure, any cut would result in a bloody mess everywhere like what you see in movies. So the next time you get a cut, don't worry if you only see 2 - 3 drops of blood.
Characteristics and functions of veins :
Low pressure so thin muscular walls, creating a large lumen
Carries deoxygenated blood back to the heart then lungs (except pulmonary vein)
Has valves to prevent backflow
Characteristics and functions of arteries :
High pressure so thick muscular walls to withstand it, creating a small lumen
Carries oxygenated blood from the lungs then heart (except pulmonary artery)
No valves
Importance of capillaries :
Now that we know arteries carry oxygenated blood and veins carry deoxygenated blood, how does the oxygen get to our cells? Through capillaries of course! Capillaries that joins arteries to veins have the lowest pressure which means our blood can take its sweet time in giving oxygen and nutrients to our cells. It can also help make sure enough carbon dioxide and waste products are removed from the cells. Therefore, the function is to facilitate the exchange of substances.
Characteristics and functions of capillaries :
Very low pressure
One cell thick
Receives blood from arteries to supply cells with nutrients and oxygen
Gives blood to veins to remove carbon dioxide and waste products
No valves
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