The pigment cells in your hair follicles can get damaged by normal sun exposure and the way they make color, especially as you get older, because their natural defenses weaken over time.

As we age, damage from oxidative stress can harm the cells that give hair its color, especially because the body’s natural antioxidants weaken over time — this leads to grey hair.

The cells in your skin that give you your color are especially at risk from sun damage and natural byproducts of pigment production, which can harm the cells and possibly lead to skin cancer or discoloration.

As we get older, the cells that give hair its color start to die off because of stress and lower levels of a protective protein, which is why hair turns gray and doesn’t grow back colored.

When skin pigment cells are under constant stress from unstable molecules, it can throw off their balance, mess up skin color, and lead to conditions like vitiligo or dark patches.