Risk factors

Anyone can develop stretch marks, but some factors increase your likelihood of getting them, including:

• Being female
• Having a personal or family history of stretch marks
• Being pregnant, especially if you're young
• Rapid growth in adolescence
• Rapidly gaining or losing weight
• Using corticosteroids
• Having breast enlargement surgery
• Exercising and using anabolic steroids
• Having a genetic disorder such as Cushing's syndrome or Marfan syndrome