Michael Jackson And Bleaching - The Truth About The Singer's Skin Disorder, Vitiligo.

Before I dive deep into the article, I will love to show why it is still relevant to know the truth though this music legend has kicked the bucket.

1. It would send a strong signal to those suffering from similar conditions to have confidence in themselves that they can also be great

2. It will let a lot of people know the truth that Michael never wanted to " de-Africanise" himself as it is being perceived by some.

3. It would encourage some of the up and coming musicians and dancers to drop the myth they have about him (if any) and emulate his magnificent singing and dancing skills to add more flavour to the entertainment industry

4. The truth must always be known
5. It tell the story that " keep going when you know you are doing the right thing even if you are being massacred with falsehood and propaganda"

INTRODUCTION
Remember to watch the video to hear from Jackson himself.

The tragic death of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009, finally answered the question that many had been asking for over two decades. Was the singer bleaching his face and body, or did he suffer from the skin condition, vitiligo?

In fact, the autopsy confirmed what Jackson himself had maintained from the very beginning — that he indeed suffered from vitiligo, and had not, as many claimed, deliberately bleached his skin because he was unhappy being black.

VITILIGO EXPLAINED
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder that causes a loss of pigment on sections of the skin. This de-pigmentation is not uniform, but manifests itself in blotches and patches on the body, particularly around the face and hands. It occurs when melanocytes — the cells responsible for skin pigment — die or cease functioning.

The condition is not specific to those of African descent, but is simply more visible as a result of their darker pigment. Michael Jackson was alleged to have inherited the skin condition from his father's side of the family.

JACKSON'S SKIN FADES
Jackson, whose album “Thriller” has sold over 70 million copies, first learned he had the vitiligo skin disease back in 1986, barely four years after the release of the album. At this point, with the disorder in its infancy, Jackson's make-up artist Karen Faye used brown make-up to conceal what were then only small bleached patches.

At the same time he began to cover up his skin for public appearances, wearing long sleeves and adopting his trademark gloves to hide patches on his hands and wrists. But over time the vitiligo became more aggressive, increasingly covering larger areas of his body, particularly his chest, abdomen, face and arms.

“Michael is now almost completely devoid of colour,” confirmed Faye at the time. He was forced to take a drastic decision that would have deep racial overtones — to even out his skin tone to white — an easier task than wearing brown make-up all over his body, which would have been harder to apply in an even tone.

Against what he really wanted, Jackson was forced by the disease to become a “white man”. He underwent cosmetic surgery.

MICHAEL JACKSON - BLACK OR WHITE?
In the years leading up to his death, despite testimony from the singer's friends and family, dermatologist Arnold Klein, Karen Faye, and from Jackson himself during the famous televised interview with Oprah on February 10 1993, many refused to believe that he suffered from the skin disease.

Accusations of him not wanting to be black emerged despite his famous song " I am black and proud."

CONCLUSIONS
Looking back, Jackson's mistake was not showing his skin condition frequently to the world. But we can understand why he might have taken that decision. Frequently showing his skin diseased condition to the world could have distorted his fan base.

I greatly admire his ability to customised and come out with Michael Jackson gloves, umbrella, etc all in an attempt to shield off his disease from the sight of the fans during stage performances.

This is what I call creativity. Turning out your "misfortunes" into brands.

" I am Black and Proud" - Michael Jackson