Why does skin become more saggy during the fall season?

Skin exposed to strong UV rays and high temperatures throughout the summer still shows its signs as fall approaches. Among the most common concerns among patients visiting dermatologists during this transitional season, such as the transition from summer to fall, are enlarged pores, increased fine wrinkles, and decreased skin elasticity. This isn't simply due to the change in season, but rather the simultaneous occurrence of photoaging and thermal aging deep within the skin.

Photoaging (photodamage) is the process by which collagen and elastin in the skin are destroyed by prolonged exposure to UV rays. While this may appear superficially as pigmentation issues like freckles and blemishes, it actually damages the ECM (extracellular matrix) that supports the skin's structure, leading to decreased elasticity and deepening wrinkles.

Thermal aging occurs when skin temperature continually rises due to sunlight. This rise in temperature denatures the dermal ECM, causing skin to sag, pores to enlarge, and overall skin texture to become rough. This complex aging process is the reason skin loses elasticity and appears saggy even at the end of summer.