CNN -- In the wake of Michael Jackson's memorial service, the key question of how the pop superstar died remains unanswered, awaiting an official report from the Los Angeles County coroner. Michael Jackson, at 25, graced the cover of "Thriller.
But other mysteries abound, particularly related to Jackson's appearance, which changed dramatically from his early adulthood. His features changed, and the color of his skin lightened significantly over the last two decades of his life. When the face of the most recognizable entertainer in the world faded to near alabaster, the transformation struck a sensitive cultural spot. It intrigued and even offended people, spawning numerous articles and blog posts speculating about his metamorphosis.
This week, a source involved with the investigation into Jackson's death said the singer's body was "lily white from head to toe. As white as a white T-shirt. The singer denied changing his skin color for vanity reasons and repeatedly asserted that he had a disease called vitiligo, in which the immune system attacks cells that produce melanin, the pigment that determines skin color. The condition results in milky white spots. For some patients, the discolored spots can spread entirely across the body, leaving only freckles of the original skin color, although this is not very common, experts said.
Jackson told Oprah Winfrey in a interview, "I'm a black American. I am proud to be a black American. I am proud of my race, and I am proud of who I am. I have a lot of pride and dignity of who I am. It's something I cannot help. When people make up stories that I don't like who I am, it hurts me," Jackson told Winfrey. Those familiar with the skin condition said vitiligo is commonly misunderstood because of its rarity. It affects approximately 1 percent of the world's population, according to the American Vitiligo Research Foundation.
He first noticed white spots on his scalp when he was Then the spots appeared on his hands. Subscribe to Qrius. Broaden your horizons as unpack fresh trends shaping our lives. Qrius delivers fresh, immersive writing that answers the question 'Why should I care? Start your mornings with the acclaimed 'Qrius Mornings' newsletter that gives you our best article of the day right in your inbox.
By Qrius. He said among other things, It is something I cannot help. Featured articles 1. What led to the biggest Facebook outage ever? This might be the reason…. John Nicholson: the sadistic British officer who was worshipped as a living god in India. Why is India so bad at sport? How a Scottish graveyard in Kolkata revealed the untold stories of colonial women in India.
Cricket: children are the key to the future of the game, not broadcast rights. Rumination In The Time of Isolation. Navigate news, 1 email a day! Michael Jackson was diagnosed with Vitiligo in , at the age of Therefore, it was at the height of his fame, in the years following the release of Thriller, that Jackson received the news that the white patches that had appeared on his body, especially on his face and hands, were incurable and would only grow bigger with time.
The disease, in which the body destroys its own pigment-producing cells, was linked to another autoimmune condition Jackson had been diagnosed with three years before, Lupus. Jackson was devastated by the news. Jackson probably feared being stigmatized, and sensed that the backlash he would get for looking different would negatively impact his career or even have him ostracized from the music industry.
So, he powered through for as long as he could, hiding the white patches of skin with dark make-up. Arnold Klein , eventually there was a point when the patches were so spread out make-up ceased to be an option. The huge psychological stress that stemmed from his condition was worsened by the continuous scrutiny of his life by the media and the harsh judgement by many people who saw his changing skin tone as proof that Jackson wanted to erase his roots. Speaking publicly about his Vitiligo in the interview and on several other occasions did little to prevent him from being criticized not even his autopsy report, which clearly states his condition seems to have made a difference.
Had he ever expressed any doubts about his identity? Had he remained close to his community in his personal life and through his work, or had he become distant?
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