Are these cases of varicose veins or something else?

I've noticed this in some women. I don't know if these are technically varicose veins or something else. You might also notice that in both images it's only occurring in one arm, not both.

Another example, except she has them in her delts:

John Cena has something similar. Some claim it is varicose veins from PED abuse.

Lifting weights and inducing muscular hypertrophy, that is muscle growth, will also lead to increased vascularity. This happens with anybody who trains and as a result of growth hormone stimulation and other factors. Basically, if your body increases muscle mass, it also increases vascularity to feed those muscles.

However, it typically takes PEDs to achieve that level of leanness combined with muscularity. It is the low body fat that makes the vascularity so much more visible. Increased vascularity volume occurs with a “pump,” as in the results of working out and flushing blood into the working muscle. Competitors will pump before going onto stage.

Also, timing of carbohydrate intake can increase visible vascularity after carb depletion from pre-contest dieting. After weeks of dieting, consuming something like a doughnut or a slice of cheesecake will cause a dramatic response in vascularity. A lot of fitness models will time their carbohydrate intake to coincide with photo shoots to take advantage of this effect.

To clarify, I'm asking specifically about the "zig-zaggy" shaped veins featured in each of the 3 pics, and not increased volume. They look as though they've been stretched for too long and lost their elasticity and are just resting loosely, somewhat bunched up under the skin.

EDIT: So one more example, this time in her abs:

The vein needs to accommodate the maximum anatomical distance of a stretch. When it is contracted, it zigzags. For most people, those abdominal veins are embedded in fat. And by the mechanisms I mentioned before, it’s likely that blood volume is deliberately exaggerated for photographic effect. Finally, don’t forget that vascular characteristics vary according to genetics. Some people are just more veiny or have veins that appear bigger. These characteristics probably do change as a person ages, since tissues tend to become less elastic with age. Veins are probably no exception.

By the way, in all of the photos you showed, I can only assume there is significant PED use. The more extreme the hypertrophy, the more vascularity there will be to support it. So PED use does not directly make veins like that, but it supports the volume of training and level of hypertrophy that increases vascularity. Increased vascularity means increased probability that you will see road mappy zig zaggy veins.

These characteristics probably do change as a person ages, since tissues tend to become less elastic with age. Veins are probably no exception.

That's true, I don't think I've noticed this with younger athletes. For some reason my mind was fixated with the stretching of the veins lengthwise, but as you put it the stretching is more likely from increased blood volume, which would be the diameter. I think we're on the same page now.

To clarify, I'm asking specifically about the "zig-zaggy" shaped veins featured in each of the 3 pics, and not increased volume. They look as though they've been stretched for too long and lost their elasticity and are just resting loosely, somewhat bunched up under the skin.

EDIT: So one more example, this time in her abs:

Wow, that picture is insane.

No expert but maybe extremely low bodyfat as well as paper-skin and increased blood volume/pressure...probably from gear.

That's my take.

Re varicose veins...maybe. Aren't they genetic anyway? So some get them and others don't?

This pretty much answers the question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsv7sgdCEmY

That’s a great comprehensive explainer of the underlying physiological dynamics, thanks!