Vitiligo Fact File and Discussion

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Vitiligo FACT File


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Vitiligo Documentary - Did Michael Jackson really have this disorder?


What is Vitiligo ?

Vitiligo is a disorder that causes white patches of skin to appear anywhere on the body. This happens when the pigment producing cells in the skin, the melanocytes, are destroyed. The patches can develop and increase very rapidly or they can stay the same for long periods of time. Melanocytes protect a person, to a certain extent, from sunburn by producing melatonin. The vitiligous white patches of skin offer no protection at all against the sun.

What causes Vitiligo ?

The cause is not known. It is thought to be a genetic auto-immune disease. Auto-immune diseases are characterized as such when the body attacks its own cells. Researchers believe that a single event that causes emotional distress can cause vitiligo.

How is Vitiligo treated ?

The treatment of vitiligo depends on the number of white patches, how widespread the patches are and the treatment the person prefers to use:

- Cosmetics, such as make up to even out the patches
- medicines, such as steroid cremes, to be applied to the skin to get a more even skin tone
- surgical, such as skin grafts from a person's own tissues or tattooing
- sunscreens
- counselling and support, as understandably, vitiligo can have a devastating emotional and psychological impact

Discoid Lupus
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/weba...239&zoneid=524

Another classic rash found in cutaneous lupus is the discoid rash. This rash is coin-shaped or oval in shape, like a disk and it is seen on areas of the skin that are exposed to sunlight. Discoid lesions (sores) tend to be red and raised and become scaly. When they heal they can leave behind a scar. These rashes can also result in a change in coloring of the skin, making the area around the lesion either lighter or darker in color. These discoid lesions may appear on the scalp; on the face in a butterfly distribution; or, as mentioned earlier, in areas where the skin receives sun exposure, especially, for example, the V of the neck. Discoid lupus erythematosus (LE) lesions are usually painless and typically do not itch. Here is one example of what a discoid rash may look like. (Photo source: Dermatology Information System, Dermis.net)

Michael's Vitiligo

"MTV's "Weekend at Neverland Contest", wrote in USA Today on June 23, 1993, "[Jackson] is in makeup, but it is evident that his disclosure of a skin-lightening disease seems credible. Darker spots are apparent on a hand and around an ear." It is doubtful that if Michael's goal were to have white skin, he would allow these blotches to remain, especially since complete depigmentation is a treatment alternative for vitiligo patients. Finally, some well-known MJ trademarks are characteristic of vitiligo sufferers, including wearing wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants and carrying an umbrella to protect against the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight.

The pictures in Black & White and Nations of Magic reveal the reason that MJ uses light rather than dark makeup to conceal his uneven pigmentation. They indicate that MJ has lost as much as 80% of his pigment to the disorder, making the use of dark makeup impractical.

More information about vitiligo can be found on the Biography page and at:
http://goofy.ti6.tu-harburg.de/vitiligo/



Michael Jackson Wasn't the Only Black Man "Turning White"
By Eddie B. Allen Jr. July 13th, 2009

Black TV anchor turning white on air from Detroit ..

Insensitive comments about the condition that has affected him for 16 years hit Lee Thomas way beyond skin deep.

So the Emmy-winning Fox TV reporter and author of the book "Turning White: A Memoir of Change," who struggles with vitiligo, is even more outspoken since singer Michael Jackson's death. The same skin condition that Jackson first told the public he endured in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey has gradually turned Thomas' rich, brown complexion into a pattern of bright splotches on various parts of his body. A debate about vitiligo and its effects has been re-ignited in the wake of Jackson's passing and media focusing on his non-Black children.
"Everywhere, I get that question: Do you really think that he had vitiligo?" says Thomas, who publicly speaks about the disease between covering entertainment news on a weekday morning show. "In his death, hopefully more people will understand that yes, he had a disease that turned his skin white."
Over 5 million Google hits registered from a Web search of the word "vitiligo" barely 48 hours after Jackson's televised funeral. About 1 percent of the world's population suffers from the condition, which has an undetermined cause and affects all races, including Whites. Vitiligo attacks pigment and breaks down the skin's natural color. Curiosity about the condition is understandable, says Thomas, but he adds that skepticism and ignorance can be hurtful. He recently challenged Jackson's legendary friend Quincy Jones after Jones dismissed Jackson's previous statements that he was a "proud Black American," saying Jackson wanted to be White. A statement from Thomas released through his publicist read in part: "I respect everything that Quincy Jones has done as an entertainer and producer, but I am very disappointed that a man so accomplished couldn't look up the disease or, even better, take his friend&#8217;s word. I have this disease and the reality of it is, I am turning White, and believe me, that is not by choice.&#8221;
Apart from a revealing, personal segment that discussed his battle with viewers of his home station in Detroit, Thomas has appeared on major TV shows including "20/20" and "Larry King Live." Before going on-air each day, he undergoes an extensive makeup process to cover the areas of his face and neck that have been discolored. He says that various medical treatments have had no lasting effect. But Thomas joined other sufferers of the disease who've put the question of genetics in doubt when he had a daughter last year, who shows no symptoms.
Suggestions that Jackson never had vitiligo because his skin was uniformly light, rather than splotched, aren't necessarily so, Thomas says; in fact, it's been reported that Jackson's famous glove was first worn to cover discoloring on his hand.
"There are a lot of people outside of Michael Jackson, who have (turned uniformly lighter)," Thomas says. "You probably saw someone who had really light skin and just never knew it."

But the various manifestations of vitiligo are less important than how its sufferers are received and perceived, Thomas says.

Soul and Psyche Attacked

Vitiligo attacks the soul and psyche, foundation executive director Robert Haas says.

"When was the last time you saw someone with vitiligo handling your food? It is the public's image that it is some leprosy-type of disease," he says. "A lot of folks feel this disease has trapped them and kept them away from their life goals."

That was Thomas' fear.

He uses a combination of creams and makeup to cover the growing patches of skin - which he calls devoid of colour - on his face, hands and arms. Viewers, co-workers and, for years, his basketball buddies, were none the wiser.

Only family members and those closest to him knew the secret he had kept since age 25.

Thomas first noticed a change after getting a haircut while working in Louisville, Kentucky. He looked in a mirror and thought the barber had nicked him. A closer look revealed a pale spot, about the size of a quarter.

"I got two more on the other side of my scalp, on my hand and one in the corner of my mouth," he recalls in an interview from the station's studio. "That's when I went to the doctor and got diagnosed."

He did not let it slow down his blossoming career.

From Louisville, he soon landed at WABC in New York for three years beginning in 1994. After a short freelancing stint in Los Angeles, Thomas found his way to WJBK in Detroit in 1997.

Quirky Reporting Style

He has carved a niche in the Motor City market with his quirky, upbeat and humorous reporting style; his confidence, constant smile and positive air on the set mirrors his demeanor off the set as well.

Even though Thomas uses makeup to conceal his skin discolouration, he realised the vitiligo was becoming more obvious when he could not hide it from a preschooler during a story about a playground. His two-toned hands frightened the girl, who began to cry.

"I thought my career was over," says the Emmy award winner who routinely travels to Hollywood for one-on-one interviews with celebrities including Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Halle Berry.

So he gathered himself one day and approached the station's news director, prepared to walk away from television.

"She said, 'Let's just see what happens,"' Thomas recalls. "As it got worse, she kept encouraging me to tell my story."

Station Wanted to Help

Dana Hahn, WJBK's vice president of news, says the station was concerned about Thomas possibly leaving because of the condition.

"Lee is also a friend and we wanted to help," she says. "He had covered it up so well, we really didn't realise the impact it was having or how far it had spread."

Thomas finally agreed to tell his story on television in November 2005.

After the first segment on Thomas' vitiligo aired, Hahn says he took a leave of absence and missed the initial response from viewers.

"I received 40 to 50 e-mails a day the entire time he was gone," Hahn says. "So many people found support and encouragement in his story. I've never seen the kind of response to any story in my 12 years at Fox 2."

At the time, Thomas was already writing his book.

"As all those things happened, the tone of the book changed," he says. "I was writing for all those people who were afraid to come outside."

Dr Sancy Leachman, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Utah, calls vitiligo stigmatising, driving some to even consider suicide.

People Stare

"They feel people are looking at them all of the time," she says. "They are very self-conscious about people staring at them in the grocery line. It can be a very demoralising condition."

Thomas acknowledges he even preferred the security of solitude to the awkward stares of strangers when not wearing his makeup.

"There were times when I would not come out of the house," he says. "I call it a mental war. It was me saying, 'I don't want to deal with it today.' I never stayed in for very long. I know people who stay in now for months at a time."

When he's out socially now, Thomas forgoes the makeup he wears on camera.

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The Source:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/12/18/1197740254314.html?page=fullpage

Sincerely Your,
MJJC
Legacy
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Team
 
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? Open Your Mind ?

 
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The 1993 World Exclusive Michael Jackson Interview with Oprah Winfrey

Michael Jackson Explains his Vitiligo Skin Condition..
(Interview Transcribed)

On February 10, 1993, Michael Jackson gave the world an explanation for the whiteness of his skin in an exclusive interview he did with Oprah Winfrey.

Michael : Number one, as I know of, there is no such thing as skin bleaching, I have never seen it, I don&#8217;t know what it is.

Oprah : Well they used to have those products, I remember growing up always hearing always use bleach and glow, but you have to have about 300,000
gallons.

Michael : Okay, but number one, this is the situation. I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, it&#8217;s something that I cannot help. Okay. But when people make up stories that I don&#8217;t want to be who I
am it hurts me.

Oprah : So it is&#8230;

Michael : It&#8217;s a problem for me that I can&#8217;t control, but what about all the millions of people who sits out in the sun, to become darker, to become other than what they are, no one says nothing about that.

Oprah : So when did this start, when did your &#8230; when did the color of your skin start to change?

Michael : Oh boy, I don&#8217;t &#8230; sometime after Thriller, around Off the Wall, Thriller, around sometime then.

Oprah : But what did you think?

Michael : It&#8217;s in my family, my father said it&#8217;s on his side. I can&#8217;t control it, I don&#8217;t understand, I mean, it makes me very sad. I don&#8217;t want to go into my medical history because that is private, but that&#8217;s the situation here.

Oprah : So okay, I just want to get this straight, you are not taking anything to change the color of your skin &#8230;

Michael : Oh, God no, we tried to control it and using make-up evens it out because it makes blotches on my skin, I have to even out my skin. But you know what&#8217;s funny, why is that so important? That&#8217;s not important to me. I&#8217;m a great fan of art, I love Michelangelo, if I had the chance to talk to him or read about him I would want to know what inspired him to become who he is, the anatomy of his craftsmanship, not about who he went out with last night &#8230; what&#8217; wrong with &#8230; I mean that&#8217;s what is important to me.

Since Michael has stated he has this skin disorder many people have heard of it, but not many people really understand what it is, so that casts doubt on Michael when he says he suffers from it. Michael has and shows all the symptoms of a person with this disease. So you first have to understand what this disease is.

What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a relatively common skin disorder, in which white spots or patches appear on the skin. These spots are caused by destruction or weakening of the pigment cells in those areas, resulting in the pigment being destroyed or no longer produced. In most cases, vitiligo is believed to be an autoimmune-related disorder. Although researchers are not exactly sure what causes the autoimmune response, more is being learned every year. In vitiligo, only the color of the skin is affected. The texture and other skin qualities remain normal.

What are the symptoms of Vitiligo?
People who develop vitiligo usually first notice white patches or spots (depigmentation) on their skin. The skin remains of normal texture, and there is usually no itching or other symptoms. These patches are more obvious in sun-exposed areas, including the hands, feet, arms, legs, face, and lips. Other common areas for white patches to appear are the armpits and groin and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals. Vitiligo generally appears in one of three patterns. In one pattern (focal pattern), the depigmentation is limited to one or only a few areas. Some people develop depigmented patches on only one side of their bodies (segmental vitiligo). But for most people who have vitiligo, depigmentation occurs on different parts of the body (generalized vitiligo), often similar on each side of the body. In addition to white patches on the skin, some people with vitiligo may experience white hair growing in on the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard. In extremely rare cases, vitiligo can affect eye color or the pigment of the retina.

Does genetics play a role?
Most people with vitiligo have neither parents, nor children, nor siblings with vitiligo. Many have no other relatives with vitiligo. Vitiligo does appear to be hereditary, that is, it can run in families. Children whose parents have the disorder are more likely to develop vitiligo. There is no question about that. However, most children will not get vitiligo even if a parent has it, and most people with vitiligo do not have a family history of the disorder. So the chances of your child developing vitiligo appear to be very small. Nevertheless, there are sufficient numbers of families where vitiligo does appear among siblings, parents and children, such that we can assume a genetic factor.

How does Vitiligo Develop?
The beginning of Vitiligo and the severity of pigment loss differs with each patient. Light skinned people usually notice the pigment loss during the summer as the contrast between the vitiliginous skin and the suntanned skin becomes distinct. People with dark skin may observe the onset of Vitiligo at any time. Individuals who have severe cases will lose pigment over their entire body surface. There is no way to predict how much pigment an individual will lose, Illness and stress can result in more pigment loss. The degree of pigment loss can also vary within each Vitiligo patch, and a border of abnormally dark skin may encircle a patch of depigmented skin.

Vitiligo frequently begins with a rapid loss of pigment which may be followed by a lengthy period when the skin color does not change. Later, the pigment loss may resume &#8212; perhaps after the individual has suffered physical trauma or stress. The loss of color may continue until, for unknown reasons, the process stops. Cycles of pigment loss, followed by periods of stability may continue indefinitely. It is rare for a patient with Vitiligo to repigment or regain skin color spontaneously. Most patients who say that they no longer have Vitiligo may actually have become depigmented and are no longer bothered by contrasting skin color. While such patients appear to be &#8220;cured&#8221;, they really are not. People who have Vitiligo all over their bodies do not look like albinos because the color of their hair may not change &#8212; or it can be dyed &#8212; and eye color does not change.

Emotional Impact
Most individuals with Vitiligo are upset because of the uneven skin color. It is difficult for those who do not have Vitiligo to appreciate the significance of this problem to the victim.

Depigmentation Therapy
If a person has Vitiligo over more than half of the exposed areas of the body, he or she is not a candidate for repigmentation. Rather, such a person may want to try depigmentation of the remaining pigmented skin. The drug for depigmentation is monobenzylether of hydroquinone. Many patients with Vitiligo are at first apprehensive about the idea of depigmentation and reluctant to go ahead. However, patients who achieve complete depigmentation are usually satisfied with the end results. Some people become allergic to the medication and must discontinue therapy. This therapy takes about a year to complete. The pigment removal is permanent.

Sensitivity to the Sun
Patches of vitiligo skin have no natural protection against the sun&#8217;s rays. This is because vitiligo skin is white as the melanocytes which produce melanin (skin pigment) are not active. The effect of the sun is normally to increase melanin production and to turn the skin brown; this is a protective mechanism to prevent the skin from being damaged by burning. Therefore, the most important reason for protecting your skin is to prevent sunburn. Not only is this painful, but damage to the skin, including sunburn, can stimulate the vitiligo to spread in some people. As vitiligo skin is particularly vulnerable to sunlight and needs protection, some brands of sunblock are classified by the NHS (The British National Health Service) as borderline substances which means they can be obtained on prescription from your doctor.

Michael says he was first diagnosed at the earliest, during the time he released his &#8216;Off the Wall&#8217; album. We can assume that maybe it started before he actually released the album in stores, which was in the mid 70s. Treatments were still being developed and the awareness of the disease was not there. So naturally, the only solution for Michael then was to cover it up using cosmetics. I&#8217;ve heard people ask &#8216;So why didn&#8217;t he try to regain his color&#8217; making it seem as if he was desperate to just depigment his skin of its natural color. Michael covered it with darker makeup I&#8217;m sure, for as long as he could.

If you look at the pictures, you will see that his face is obviously covered with cosmetics. The unevenness of it is there. So you can see that when it did start, he did try concealing it, obviously no one knew about it until he was visibly a shade lighter. Click on the second picture to get a better look. Compare Emmanuel to Michael, you&#8217;ll see that he&#8217;s probably wearing heavy facial makeup.

As you&#8217;ve read the process of this disease can be gradual and slow. As time goes on, his skin color becomes even more uneven, and his cheeks begin to always seem to have a red tint to them. (Due to Discoid Lupus) You&#8217;ll see it all over his face and even his neck. Same with the lip color, it started as a way to conceal the discoloration on his lips, if you&#8217;ll notice the discoloration on the outline of the lips in the first picture, and some discoloration on his nose in others. Michael&#8217;s makeup artist for over 20 years, Karen Faye comments:

&#8220;It started happening relatively early, he even was trying to hide it from me..he tried to hide it for quite awhile. He&#8217;d always try to cover it with makeup and even out his skin tone until it got so extensive. It&#8217;s all over his body. We were always trying to hide it and cover it for the longest time until he just had to tell Oprah and tell the world, &#8216;Listen I&#8217;m not trying to be white, I have a skin disease.&#8217; In the beginning I tried to cover the light spots to match the darker part of his skin, but then it became so extensive that we had to go with the lighter part of his skin because his whole body was reacting&#8230;he&#8217;d have to be in complete full body makeup, every inch of his body. So it was easier to make the transition to him being to the lighter shade that he is.&#8221;

No one can deny, after looking at these pictures, the fact that during this period of time, around the time of his Thriller release, Michael&#8217;s face was seriously uneven in color. When you bleach your skin, you apply the bleaching agent evenly, it would not create spotting. These pictures are just some of the many pictures that show evidence of uneven skin. Initially, Michael&#8217;s skin was very even as you will see in the comparison below.

Moving on, how many times have you seen Michael Jackson revealing his arms and legs? Rarely. Take his tour costumes for example. If you compare their Victory Tour to the Triumph Tour, you&#8217;ll see the difference in what he wore.

There were times even then that Michael would show his chest or arms, perhaps these were areas that hadn&#8217;t been affected at the time. You will see him appear in some of his later videos revealing these areas, this is possible because of makeup, or they were during times when his skin was even. When we see pictures of Michael now, he is almost always covered from head to toe, it is very rare that you will see any candid picture of Michael when he&#8217;s not performing or shooting some kind of video, where any part of his body, besides his head and hands are exposed. Most of all of his infamous outfits are made to cover his entire body. There probably is a reason for that.

Time goes on and Michael gets lighter and lighter until he is eventually just literally WHITE, at least in comparison to other people. Had he been bleaching his skin from the start, Michael would never have been spotting. Michael went through depigmentation therapy, which is what someone might opt to do when the discolorations have covered most of the body and the use of makeup to hide the difference in color becomes an inconvenience. That&#8217;s why you will notice during around 1986 Michael was lighter, but not as white as he appears now. In Michael&#8217;s case, since he was always in the public eye, constantly being photographed, it would be quite embarrassing to show up to events and perform while your skin is spotted with two different colors. Katherine Jackson, Michael&#8217;s mother tells us:

&#8220;His face is white because he has had this disease, and instead of having it spotted like a cow or something like that he just decided to just do the whole thing, because he could afford to do it.&#8221;

Covering it up with makeup was only effective for awhile. As it gets worse, you have to apply more, as his make up artist stated, wearing full bodied makeup would be very hard. The depigmentation process takes awhile to complete and it is permanent. The medication monobenzylether of hydroquinone is used to do this and is very strong, it is only prescribed to vitiligo patients. People that bleach their skin to remove scars and minor discolorations use creams with only hydroquinone, which is reversible and not permanent. This is why when you buy bleaching creams at the store, it will always tell you that the pigmentation you wanted to get rid of may reappear.

I have yet to see or hear about anyone else that has gone through a drastic change in skin color by just bleaching their skin with regular products. I know of people bleaching their skin, but if you pay them any real attention you will notice the inconsistencies, they get darker then they get lighter again, this because of what was mentioned before, hydroquinone is not permanent. Also, getting your hands on monobenzylether of hydroquinone is not easy. So I don&#8217;t want to hear the excuse that he just somehow got his hands on it. You have to be prescribed something like that from a dermatologist. Like I&#8217;ve said before, people that bleach their skin do not spot. People with vitiligo have gotten to the point where their pigment has been totally stripped from all of the their body, they are typically snow white in color. Michael Jackson is very pale, even in comparison to white people. The only cases of such a drastic change in skin color that I&#8217;ve seen or read about are with vitiligo patients.

People with vitiligo become very sensitive to the sun, because the natural protection that your skin has from the sun gets stripped away along with the pigmentation. If you go through depigmentation therapy the sensitivity of your skin to the sun becomes even worse. This is why when Michael is outside, most of the time you will see him shielding himself from the sun with either his hand or an umbrella. A lot of people don&#8217;t understand why he is with an umbrella all the time, this is the only reason.

Even now you will see brown spots on various parts of Michael&#8217;s body, his arms and hands for example. Sometimes they are there and then sometimes they aren&#8217;t, which can be due to makeup or spontaneous repigmentation as mentioned before. Michael Jackson has vitiligo and that is the truth. People have used all kinds of things to dispute this, whether it be the ethnicity of the women he&#8217;s dated or the plastic surgery he&#8217;s gotten. It&#8217;s become a situation where he&#8217;s been forced to defend the fact that he is an African American, the fact that he&#8217;s not ashamed of who and what he is. Michael grew up idolizing black musicians, he did all the &#8216;black&#8217; trends. From the music, to the hair styles and such. Michael had his greatest success when he was still visibly black&#8230;there was and is no reason for him to have desired to change his color. This is something that his family has backed him on for many years, even by his stern father who would probably never defend any of his children, had they ever bleached their skin. It has been said by Michael and by his sister Janet Jackson, that he isn&#8217;t the only one in the family to have it. This doesn&#8217;t mean that his sisters or brothers have to have it, it could have been a distant relative. Did you know that stress or traumatic events could trigger vitiligo if you are already susceptible to it genetically? Michael had it the hardest growing up, and even after he reached fame, who&#8217;s to say all of that didn&#8217;t trigger it?

Most of the people that suffer from this disease have a hard time with people either not believing them about their condition or just people giving them a hard time about it, especially when they are African American. It can be a very hard thing to deal with, could you imagine someone harassing you about something that you can&#8217;t help?

The Sources:
National Vitiligo Foundation, Vitiligo Support
 
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Michael Jackson and Vitiligo Posted November 24, 2009

For reasons still unknown, sometimes the body produces antibodies that cannot distinguish between foreign invaders and healthy cells from your own body. The result is autoimmune disease, that is, the body starts attacking itself. These diseases take many forms, and many chronic illnesses have been attributed to this. One is Vitiligo, another is Discoid Lupus. Unfortunately having one autoimmune disease increases your risk of having another, and Michael suffered from both.

You can&#8217;t &#8220;trigger&#8221; Vitiligo or &#8220;cause&#8221; it &#8212; it either will affect someone or not. No amount of skin bleach can create the same permanent effects that Vitiligo has, no amount of skin bleach will cause someone to end up with the disorder. In fact to even attempt to come close to the level of lightness Michael Jackson had would most likely result in death by toxicity.

If anyone is capable of finding me someone who used to be as dark as Michael but solely thanks to bleaching agents is now as white as he was then you&#8217;re more than welcome to send me and every newspaper in the world the evidence.

There aren&#8217;t very many pictures of Michael with Vitiligo because he would try to cover it up as best he could with heavy make up, used to cover up everything from scars and burns to stubble on drag queens, Dermablend.

These pictures and the evidence for Michael&#8217;s Vitiligo have been around since the 1980s and yet I know I&#8217;ve never seen them published in any mainstream articles regarding his illness. When discussing his Vitiligo they&#8217;ll post a picture of him in 1980 and then one from 1992 onwards to show the dramatic change as though he woke up one morning without any pigment. They also never show any photos of him with the splotches of colour he had left and try to make it seem as though he was now a universal &#8220;white&#8221; colour when in fact he wasn&#8217;t.

Photos of his Vitiligo:

He was around 12 here:

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Around 18 here:

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From around the same time period, uneven pigmentation around his face again:

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Still pre the official diagnosis in &#8217;81, on the Triumph tour his stage make up runs and you can see the depigmentation:

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He also started wearing the sequin glove to disguise it on this tour:

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Around Thriller, when he says he received the official diagnosis and when it seems to become extensive:

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He&#8217;s wearing light reflective make up which makes the areas of his face with less pigment stand out under a camera flash:

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Bad Tour, his hands:

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Bad Tour without make up:

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The reason why he bandaged his hand, you can see discolouration around the edges:

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TWYMMF set picture:

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His hands:

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Close up:

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Black or White

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close up of his hands:

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They Don&#8217;t Care About Us, over his arms and chest.

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And then recently:

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When he had the spider bite he had photos taken as evidence:

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If he could bleach his entire body white surely he&#8217;d take the time to remove these blotches, right?

It was never something he had any control over. The most he could do was carry out the depigmentation process recommended to him by his dermatologist which helps even out the skintone. If you are susceptible to Vitiligo or it is already in the early stages then stress can aggrevate it. The stress of growing up the way he did, the fame he received, even possibly the Pepsi burn could all have helped advance it further.

It was also the reason Michael began to wear the white glove, Cicely Tyson says she was there when the glove was coming about:

All of a sudden, he [the designer] said, &#8216;I&#8217;m doing this glove for Michael&#8217;. Michael was beginning to develop the vitiligo and it started on his hand. The glove was to cover the vitiligo; that&#8217;s how that glove came into being.&#8221; The glove design and reason for it were not just hearsay for Tyson, she said. &#8220;I was there when he was creating it.&#8221;


Thanks MJJLaugh :eek:k:

The Source:
http://lacienegasmiled.wordpress.com/category/vitiligo-photos/
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

I really don't understand how many people were reluctant to see Michael's never lied about his skin disease if his vitiligo IS QUITE NOTICEABLE in many pictures! :angry:


Besides the spider bite ones, this picture is the most evident vitiligo one I've seen!
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From The 30th Anniversary Concert

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2003, it's noticeable on his right hand, left arm and his nails... :(

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Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

:ciao: Snow White luvs Peter Pan :group:

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You know I love you and your Posts right :dancin::pray:
I have added to your sweet Reputation :heart:

Sincerely your
LP Moderator
MJ TinkerBell :pray:
 
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Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

Quotes and offensive language removed. I didn't know I couldn't post what other people have thought about Michael's vitiligo, I sincerely apologize! :blush:

Another very noticeable pic of Michael's hands
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Darcel de Vlugt who started to have vitiligo at the age of 5. She even defended Michael on a interveiw about their disease.

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Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

:ciao: Snow White luvs Peter Pan :bow:

Your Post about Michael's Vitiligo was perfect angel :pray: it was the comments and profanity that made it unacceptable :cry:

This Thread is meant to be about Michael and Michael ONLY, not what disrespectful quotes people who show him no respect has stated ! These are FACTS that we Post here not what others say about what they think of Michael's Vitiligo :agree:
I pray I have explained myself and why I commented to you :heart:

You are so sweet and kind and that is why I gave you A REP point, because you just really are :group:
 
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"When someone you love becomes a memory,
the memory becomes a treasure."
David Concepcion Diaz
December 19, 1982 - July 15, 2008


Remembering David Diaz R.I.P

Our beloved David was a kind, sweet and sensitive single young man of twenty-five with a very bright future ahead of him. In the early fall of 2007 he was diagnosed with Vitiligo and tragically, less than a year later on July 15, 2008, he chose to end his life. Nothing will ever be the same for our family and for those who knew and loved David. The world feels like a different place without him. But, together, all of us have resolved to continue with our life journey because we know with absolute certainty that is what David would have wanted.

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David's Graduation

In loving memory of David, we offer this brief account of his life and struggles in the hope that it can educate and bring awareness to other families of children and young people with Vitiligo. We have painfully learned that Vitiligo is not just a minor skin condition that can be easily treated or covered up with make-up. But rather that it is a complex, currently incurable and often chronic medical condition that affects the whole person, including your loved one&#8217;s mental health.
Vitiligo can result in poor self-esteem, significant psychological distress, major clinical depression and tragedy. It is imperative that families of children and young adults diagnosed with Vitiligo are aware that initial and ongoing mental health screening and evaluation are just as important as the dermatological treatments currently offered to treat persons with this condition. Your loved one&#8217;s life may very well depend on early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of depression and/or other co-occurring mental health disorders.
David was born in the Bronx, New York, on December 19, 1982. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, New York, and in 2006 graduated from Lehman College with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Up until the time of his death, he was working in the Finance Department at MTV Networks while also attending evening classes necessary to acquire the Public Accounting Certification (CPA). David was a high achiever and very ambitious. He was sure he would earn millions and spoke of his dream of buying his parents a house and his beloved sister, Shanna, a car. Those were his primary goals.
Everyone who knew David loved him to pieces. Neighbors were fond of him, describing him as well-mannered and warm. Others said he was humble, gentle, and so very funny. David was also aware of the ills that plagued the world and felt deep emotion and empathy for those less fortunate. He wanted to live a simple life and contribute those millions to others so that they could also live a good life. The note he left on the windowsill said simply: &#8220;Ever since birth I stood for myself and what I believed in. I never did anything wrong.&#8221; We don&#8217;t know why he wrote those words. At first, we thought that perhaps he felt that Vitiligo and the other difficulties in his life were forms of Divine punishment. But with the passage of time, we have come to understand that perhaps that is simply how he wanted to be remembered. Sadly, there was no time to say goodbye and we will never know for sure what our beloved David was thinking on that fateful summer morning in 2008. His suicide will forever remain a mystery just as the many others that occur each year &#8211; one every eighteen minutes in the United States. We all know that the stress of modern life can sometimes be difficult for children and young people to bear. But for those with Vitiligo daily life can present additional challenges and stress.

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David and his sister Shanna

In the late summer of 2007, David began to notice a single circular white patch (about the size of a quarter) develop on his right cheek. At first, David and we thought the patch was perhaps the result of over exposure to the sun during a family cruise to the Bahamas earlier that summer. Regrettably, at that time, none of us knew anything about Vitiligo. Gradually, the white circular patch began to grow and then others appeared on his face and neck. Later, his right eyebrow, eyelashes, and a patch of hair on the back of his head also began to turn white. A visit to his primary care physician in the Fall of 2007 resulted in a diagnosis of Vitiligo and a referral to a New York hospital for further evaluation and subsequent treatment with Narrow Band UVB (Excimer Laser) therapy. David received seven Excimer Laser treatments before his death and did not experience any significant improvement or restoration of skin pigmentation as a result of those treatments.
Unlike others, whose Vitiligo is primarily manifested on the arms, torso or legs, David could not easily conceal his condition. He did not wish to wear make-up and thus his Vitiligo was prominently on display each and every day. Sadly, the ignorance in the world about Vitiligo left David open to unwelcome stares, rejection and sometimes even cruel and hurtful remarks. Among the remarks that David experienced: &#8220;What is that on your face?&#8221; &#8220;What&#8217;s the matter with your face?&#8221; &#8220;Is that &#8216;thing&#8217; on your face contagious?&#8221; Other times it was just that constant on-and-off stare that we all think the person we are staring at does not notice. Well, they do! Sadly, sometimes these questions came from people who knew him before Vitiligo. Other times they came from complete strangers on the subways and streets of New York City. David tried to ignore the questions and stares, but at times genuinely felt hurt and annoyed by them. He once said to his mother that &#8220;he sometimes felt like a monster.&#8221; Not surprisingly, David also once said that the only strangers he did not mind getting questions about his Vitiligo from were children. In hindsight, and perhaps a clue to the true depth of his suffering and despair, David once expressed concern about the likelihood of his future children developing Vitiligo and the hardships that they would have to endure.
Since David&#8217;s death we have been working with the AVRF as a way of honoring and remembering David, but also to create awareness and try to help other young people with Vitiligo, and their families. We have spent time with and gotten to know some of the AVRF children and their families at several conferences that the AVRF has organized at the Mt. Sinai College of Medicine in New York City and at several other events. We have had an opportunity to witness the magic that happens when these children come together and are convinced, beyond any doubt, that the AVRF and the important work that it does on behalf of children with Vitiligo are worth preserving and protecting. In this time, we have also had the opportunity to get to know Stella personally and have come to understand, respect and admire the sincerity of her commitment to the children and families served by the AVRF.
We therefore urge you to please help support the AVRF in any way that you possibly can.
By David&#8217;s father (Carlos), mother (Evelyn) and sister (Shanna)

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Carlos David's father, Evelyn David's mother,
Shanna David's sister, and David


THE AVRF IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR 2012 VITILIGO CONFERENCE
Friday July 13 - Sunday July 15, 2012..

Important Note : "AVRF 2012 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OFFICIALLY CLOSED" FOR ANY INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
stella@avrf.org

The Sources:
http://www.avrf.org/
David's Story:
http://www.avrf.org/stories/david_d_story.html
 
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Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

Thank you all for contributing to this great thread. If only people who misunderstood and STILL misunderstand Michael could see the compilation of photos and articles explaining about this disease.. :weeping:

God Bless everybody and again, thank you :angel: Michael was beautiful no matter what skin color he had, beautiful inside and outside :blush::angel:
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

:clapping::heart::clapping:

Thank you all for contributing to this great thread. If only people who misunderstood and STILL misunderstand Michael could see the compilation of photos and articles explaining about this disease.. :weeping:

God Bless everybody and again, thank you :angel: Michael was beautiful no matter what skin color he had, beautiful inside and outside :blush::angel:
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

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The Blog Article:

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''Ryan's Vitiligo,'' by Cynthia May, with illustrations by Shannon Nelson. Spartan Graphics

''Hi, I'm Ryan. This is a story about what started happening to me when I was 8 years old. I wish I could tell you that this is all make believe, but it's real.''

Ryan does not discover that he is a wizard among Muggles, or get to go to Hogwart's, or get a Nimbus 2000 broom and become a star seeker at Quidditch.

He does discover that he is different from the other kids in his class. He has vitiligo, a skin disease creating white patches on his face. And now the kids on his very prosaic, un-Hogwartian yellow school bus call him weird.

If Harry Potter's adventures are joyful skyrockets of the imagination for children who suspect they are somehow more special than the mere mortals around them, then Ryan's story is a depressing reminder that sometime in childhood most of us put in some years as mere misfits.

(My mother told me that she spent her childhood concealing from her parents the true story of her birth: that she was a princess and had been forced into her tedious life with them only because of a tragic hospital mix-up.)

Mostly, this is an 18-page ''What is vitiligo?'' primer, the kind that might be found in a doctor's waiting room. That is roughly one-fiftieth the length of ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.''

Such primers are badly needed. Very few children have noticeable vitiligo, but those who do, like children with port-wine stains, albinism and other birthmarks and conditions, can suffer terribly from the teasing.

Vitiligo is especially difficult for black children, who can end up with faces, arms and legs in a very visible camouflage pattern of browns, pinks and whites.

In Ryan's case, it all starts with a visit to his dentist, who notices a white spot below his lip and suggests seeing a dermatologist.

Ryan learns that vitiligo is caused by the weakening or death of his skin's melanocytes, the pigment-making cells. It doesn't hurt or itch, but it's incurable and irreversible. A pale-skinned boy like him can conceal it by avoiding the sun.

There are other treatments, involving pills or creams that make the unpigmented skin more likely to tan, followed by ultraviolet radiation. But none are perfect.

By the time Ryan is 11, the patch has spread across his chin and cheek, and new ones are turning up on his legs. But he takes up skiing and dares to tan over the summer. It is much more evident when he returns to school, and his classmates mock him.

At his mother's suggestion, Ryan, who is now an expert, gives a classroom presentation on vitiligo, answering one question on all their minds: No, it is not catching.

By the end, reassured by his mother that she doesn't even see his patches, he has opted for acceptance. ''I'm O.K. just the way I am,'' he proclaims. But in the thought balloon over head, he is imagining himself grown up, in a lab coat, working on a cure -- superior to the mere mortals around him.


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Hi, I'm Ryan; I've had my Vitiligo since I was 7-1/2 years old. For me, having Vitiligo isn't a big deal. My mom says that I might feel differently when I'm older. But I don't. People need to like me for what's inside of me. And if they don't then I guess that's their problem. I don't treat my Vitiligo at all.
I'm 14 now, I will be 15 soon. I like to swim, read and play video games. I also have a cat his name is Snickers. He's a complete spazoid.
My brothers and sisters are pretty nice. So far, I'm the only one in my family with Vitiligo. Sometimes my youngest brother gets jealous of the attention I've gotten over mom's book "Ryan's Vitiligo". He says that he wishes he had Vitiligo. My little sister has a scar below her knee that she swears is Vitiligo, but it's not. She's only 7 so she is kind of dramatic.
In a couple of weeks I'll be starting high school. This is my fifth year in band, playing my trumpet. I'll be performing at football games this year. I have no idea what the future holds for me. I know that I'm going to work hard in school, be a good friend, brother and son. And, I'm going to be proud of who I am. Vitiligo and all! ~ Ryan

The book, meant to be comforting to a child with vitiligo and instructive to a thoughtless child without, can be ordered through the American Vitiligo Research Foundation, at
www.avrf.org or (727) 461-3899.


The Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/15/h...o-skin-disease-through-the-eyes-of-a-boy.html
 
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Kylee's Story

My name is Kylee Grace. I love gymnastics and reading books. Sometimes my mom comes to class the first day of school to explain to the other kids about my white spots on my body. This year, she did not have to come. I explained &#8220;my Vitiligo&#8221; to my friends this year!
I have white spots all over my body but I learned last summer that I was not alone. I am not different &#8211; I am unique. Spending time with my new friends at the AVRF conference in Florida showed me that there are many people like me, even kids my age. I even met my new friends, Gwen and Kelly. Now I don&#8217;t feel bad or shy about my body. It doesn&#8217;t even bother me anymore.
My Mom and Dad get really happy when I tell them this, but now I know that every person is special &#8211; I am special because of my Vitiligo. And I can&#8217;t wait until I can take my sisters on the Florida trip next year to meet my friends.
Thank you AVRF for helping me in this journey of Embracing our Diversity (that&#8217;s my Mom&#8217;s words).
Kylee

The Source:
http://www.avrf.org/stories/KyleeCC.html

:heart::pray::heart:​
 
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Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

My mother has vitiligo, and now it seems I might have inherited it... my mother has told me her uncle had a very bad case, and went through hell because people were staring at him and avoided him because they thought it was contagious. It's very real, and I never understood how there could be any doubt that Michael was telling the truth :no:
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

:ciao: Gozer :give_rose:

:pray: Thank-you for sharing your personal Story with us as well as your family history :pray:

I began to realize how bad it really was for people with Vitiligo and how others out of ignorance and un-education will stare at someone and judge them for a disease they have no control over :scratch: I never realized I was one of those people that would stare out of ignorance until Michael expressed himself and told us his personal story :cry: I will NEVER do that again :pray:



My mother has vitiligo, and now it seems I might have inherited it... my mother has told me her uncle had a very bad case, and went through hell because people were staring at him and avoided him because they thought it was contagious. It's very real, and I never understood how there could be any doubt that Michael was telling the truth :no:
 
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Katherine's Story

Hi, my name is Katherine. I have Vitiligo on my knee, eyelids, on my abdomen and on my neck. My parents noticed it when I was in Kindergarten.
People ask me &#8220;Are you wearing eye shadow?&#8221; a LOT! I tell them &#8220;No, it is just Vitiligo; Vitiligo is a skin disorder and it is not contagious.&#8221; It kind of gets annoying but I have gotten used to it. A lot of the time I forget that I have Vitiligo.
Even though I have Vitiligo I still play soccer, do swim team and spend a lot of time with my friends. My friends don&#8217;t treat me any differently than they would if I didn&#8217;t have Vitiligo. The only bad thing about having Vitiligo is that I have to put on lots of sunscreen, especially on my eyelids or they turn bright pink.
Katherine

The Source:
http://www.avrf.org/stories/KatherineCC.html

:heart::pray::heart:​
 
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The Skin You Live in
by Michael Tyler

With the ease and simplicity of a nursery rhyme, this lively story delivers an important message of social acceptance to young readers. Themes associated with child development and social harmony, such as friendship, acceptance, self-esteem, and diversity are promoted in simple and straightforward prose. Vivid illustrations of children's activities for all cultures, such as swimming in the ocean, hugging, catching butterflies, and eating birthday cake are also provided. This delightful picturebook offers a wonderful venue through which parents and teachers can discuss important social concepts with their children.

"This debut publication of the Chicago Children's Museum presents a jaunty rhyme that playfully explores the concept of skin to encourage self-esteem and to celebrate the ways in which children are both unique and similar. While Csicsko's cheerful, quirky art, which takes liberties with proportion and perspective, shows children of various skin colors engaged in different activities, the narrative invites readers to look at their skin: 'The skin you have fun in; the skin that you run in; the skin that you hop, skip and jump in the sun in.' The text then uses food-related metaphors as it pays tribute to skin tones: 'Your coffee and cream skin, your warm cocoa dream skin... Your chocolate chip, double dip sundae supreme skin!' By pointing out what skin is not, subsequent verses affably emphasize that skin should not be divisive: 'It's not dumb skin or smart skin, or keep us apart skin; or weak skin or strong skin, I'm right and you're wrong skin.' Portraying four smiling children, the concluding spread declares, 'when we stand side-by-side in our wonderful hues... We all make a beauty, so wonderfully true. We are special and different and just the same, too!' Though occasionally verging on saccharine, this spry poem delivers its message with appealing energy and confidence; slightly older readers may enjoy Julius Lester's recent Let's Talk About Race, illus. by Karen Barbour. Ages 4-8." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

An earnest but energetic tribute to diversity, done up with postmodern arrays of smiling, stylized, lozenge-headed children paired to a rollicking celebration of: &#8220;Your coffee and cream skin, / your warm cocoa dream skin . . . / Your chocolate chip, double dip sundae supreme skin! / Your marshmallow treat skin, / your spun sugar sweet skin . . . / your cherry topped, candy dropped, frosting complete skin.&#8221; Tyler also urges readers to think about the commonality of &#8220;The skin that you laugh in; / the skin that you cry in; / the skin that you look to / the sky and ask, &#8216;Why?&#8217; in.&#8221; Though he changes his tone and plies a verbal mallet to drive his point home in the last several verses, the earlier wordplay more than compensates&#8212;while glimpses of one child in a wheelchair, and another held by a biracial couple, expand the general theme to encompass more than skin color alone. A sonically playful, if just a bit overlong, alternative to Sheila Hamanaka&#8217;s All the Colors of the Earth (1994)

Suggested Children's Reading: The Skin You Live In
Whimsical Picture Book Teaches Children Acceptance At An Early Age..
What began as a whimsical way for author Michael Tyler to convey to his young son that skin color does not define a person's value is now a lyrical tool for caregivers to share with children. The rhyming picture book The Skin You Live In (published by Chicago Children's Museum), by Michael Tyler with illustrations by David Lee Csicsko, can help parents and teachers tackle tough topics-differences, friendship, acceptance, self-esteem and diversity-in a fun, accessible way. This publication is available on Amazon.com

"The Skin You Live In" Slide Show
[youtube]iKKJtKGNAiY[/youtube]

The Source:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780975958001-0

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/michael-tyler/the-skin-you-live-in/

http://www.childrensmuseums.org/index.php/diversity-in-action/dia-suggested-readings.html
 
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TOUCHING UP Matt Katoa applies Microskin, a simulated second skin that covers up the light patches caused by vitiligo.

SKIN DEEP
Vitiligo: Ignoring What Is Painfully Obvious
By CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS
Published: February 24, 2010

THREE million Americans have vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment. The darker the skin, the more prominent the paler patches. But for people of every shade, vitiligo can cause distress as strangers gawk and job interviews become sidetracked.

From topical creams to ultraviolet-light treatments to surgery, there are a host of treatments for vitiligo (pronounced vit-uh-LYE-go), none of them perfect, none of them a cure. But many dermatologists tell patients flatly that treatments don’t exist, vitiligo specialists and patient advocates say. The medical advice is that “this is a cosmetic condition that we cannot treat,” said Dr. Pearl E. Grimes, the director of the Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California in Los Angeles. “Patients really don’t know what their options are. That’s the tragedy.”

To add insult to injury, Dr. Grimes said, some dermatologists peg vitiligo as “a trivial cosmetic condition” and tell patients to just live with their uneven skin or use makeup or a self-tanner. Camouflage is an option for people whose vitiligo is not widespread, and for extensive cases Microskin, a customized shade of durable, waterproof coverup, is about to be available in the United States.

But at a time when anti-aging injectables and other cosmetic treatments are a lucrative staple of many dermatology practices, the dismissive attitude of a lot of dermatologists is perplexing. “If you look at what we do,” said Dr. Grimes, herself a dermatologist, “you could trivialize everything in our specialty,” including Botox and plumping fillers. “And yet people trivialize the trauma of vitiligo patients.”

What’s more, insurance companies often consider vitiligo treatment “cosmetic,” which means patients have to pay out of pocket.

The exact cause of vitiligo is not known. “For reasons we don’t completely understand bodies make antibodies that attack and kill off the cells that make pigment,” said Dr. Henry W. Lim, the chairman of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Two treatments are effective in some cases. A topical gel or cream called immuno-modulators may restore some pigment by changing the immune system in the area where applied so that it doesn’t attack pigment-making cells, or melanocytes. Narrow-band ultraviolet-light treatments, requiring office visits several times a week for months, may help restore pigment in people with vitiligo over less than 10 to 30 percent of their bodies. (Home machines are sometimes prescribed.)

As part of a clinical trial at Henry Ford Hospital, roughly 40 patients have undergone surgery to transplant melanocytes to lightened areas. “The hope is that pigmented skin cells will then migrate to the appropriate layer” and begin to repigment pale patches, said Dr. Marsha Henderson, a research fellow.

Another option is camouflage. Some patients with vitiligo, rosacea or birthmarks rely on opaque foundations specially marketed to mask them. Dermablend and ColorTration are two. Lee Thomas, a television broadcaster who wrote a book about his vitiligo called “Turning White,” endorses another foundation, Cover FX, on his Web site.

However, many men aren’t comfortable wearing makeup, and some women find that foundation has its limitations. It might cover whitish patches of vitiligo but not match pigmented skin, and it is unlikely that makeup will keep white patches covered after a dip in the ocean.

Starting on Friday, vitiligo patients will have an alternative stateside. Microskin — a simulated second skin that’s been available in Australia for years — is set to open its first outpost in the United States at the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, in Midtown. Microskin is formulated to bridge the gap between a vitiligo patient’s paler patches and unaffected skin so that skin tone appears even. (It can also cover burns, birthmarks and the effects of psoriasis.)

Each shade is customized. “There’s only one skin color for one person in the world,” said Linda Lowndes, who founded Microskin in 2005 after working as a makeup artist. “I don’t care if you’re black or white.”

Microskin is waterproof and won’t rub off on clothing. “You’ve got to use a removing serum to break the barrier,” she said, referring to a liquid that is included in the Microskin system.

Before he discovered Microskin two years ago, Matt Katoa, a 21-year-old roofer from Melbourne, said he gave up playing basketball because the white patches on his legs, arms and face were on display, not his athleticism.

Now, with Microskin, Mr. Katoa plays cricket in short sleeves and goes to mobbed music festivals. “Nobody is looking at me,” he said, adding that it has “changed my life for the rest of my life.”

Still, at the start, applying Microskin on his face, arms and legs would take 75 minutes, which was “pretty annoying,” he said. He does his face daily, but Microskin lasts for a few days elsewhere. And practice has made the application faster.

The Microskin system, with training, starts at $670 for sponge application and rises to $2,250 for airbrush application. Seasonal scans ($200) are recommended to update your Microskin shade.

Not everyone thinks Microskin is worth the money. Two years ago, Omar, a 22-year-old Pakistani-American in Houston, who insisted that only his first name be used to protect his privacy, flew to Brisbane to be scanned by Mrs. Lowndes for a customized hue. Actually two. Omar has not only an eyebrow-to-cheek patch of vitiligo on his left side but also a bluish birthmark on his forehead. He paid $2,500 for the equipment, consultations and a few bottles of Microskin.

In the office, “the coverup was really nice,” he said. But the T-zone on his face is oily, so he found he had to touch up with powder. What’s more, “the spray itself, when it dries, dries very thick,” Omar said, adding that Microskin also made his face feel “rubbery.”

Mrs. Lowndes said that it’s possible to apply too much Microskin, making it “sticky, thick, heavy.” Still, she said she took pride in helping those tormented by their disorders to live with less anxiety. Some people arrive at the Brisbane headquarters “so angry and resentful” after a doctor has told them to just live with their condition, she said. With Microskin, “we can bring them back.”

 
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“Tales of Vitiligo”
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011..By BellaNaija.com

In September 2010, BN Features Editor, Glory Edozien presented a revealing series of interviews titled the “BN Skin Deep Series“. Psoriasis, Albinism and Vitiligo were some of the areas covered.

For the interview on Vitiligo, we spoke to Ogo Maduewesi, a passionate Vitiligo advocate who also has the skin condition. Ogo’s enthusiasm, confidence and drive is amazing!

A series of TV fillers have been produced to promote Vitiligo awareness. Many people with Vitiligo are ostracized and marginalized. The hope is that these clips will help sensitize and educate people about Vitilogo. It also encourages people with Vitiligo to be confident and maintain a positive outlook.

This series is titled “Tales of Vitiligo“. Watch and learn.

Part 1
[youtube]HiwbYbHLnSA[/youtube]

Part 2
[youtube]v_wBWmewlhE[/youtube]

Part 3
[youtube]svYjaVMkHNw[/youtube]

Part 4
[youtube]Ll9MA2Wefqo[/youtube]

Part 5
[youtube]yLTOcCgET00[/youtube]

The Source:
http://www.bellanaija.com/2011/03/15/tales-of-vitiligo-watch-learn/
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

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Blow Your Mind: The Skin We Live In ... by Robert Lamb | May 23, 2012

Our outer layer of flesh is beautiful, disgusting, painful, vibrant, oily and erotic. It helps define who we are and, like the rest of us, tends to fall apart as years go by.
But what is it exactly? What role does it play in human anatomy and how will we change it in the future? Computerized tattoos? Skin farms?

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and I take a close look at the skin we live in. Plus I ramble on a bit about flaying in various books and movies, but thankfully Julie reminds me to move along with the SCIENCE.

To Listen to the Podcast with Robert Lamb:
http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/sciencelab/2012-05-22-stbym-skin-live-in.mp3

The Source:
http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2012/05/23/blow-your-mind-the-skin-we-live-in/
 
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Time.com: The Stigma of Vitiligo

Photographer Chiara Goia documents the stories of Indian women who have been isolated by the skin disorder, which results in loss of pigment.

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Shaheen, 33
Although it is neither painful nor life-threatening, vitiligo — a skin condition in which there is a loss of pigment in irregular patches — can be an emotional burden to people who are afflicted in countries like India, where it contrasts sharply with the population's darker skin tones. Ignorance and inherited attitudes about other diseases like leprosy contribute to the stigmatization of people with vitiligo, particularly young women, who suffer from its effects.

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Anita, 26
"I got vitiligo in my lips in 2005," Anita says. "At first I managed to hide it with a lipstick or by hiding my face behind a veil, but when my father-in-law found out about it, I had to flee with my husband and child from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai."

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Gauri, 32
The cause of vitiligo is unknown, and it has no cure. But because it is not painful or damaging beyond the psychological effects, it has received little attention from researchers and medical professionals. The first ever international conference devoted to its study was held in September 2010 in Milan.

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Shilpa, 33
"I used to consider it a big problem in my life," Shilpa says. "I thought nothing good could happen to me. Then I started to get psychological support, and I also got into a music school. Music has helped me as a form of meditation."

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Maya, 50
"I had vitiligo at the age of 10," Maya says. "From beautiful brown, I have changed to white. [On my finger] is the last spot of the original color of my skin. I have been living a single life in two colors. It is not easy to accept a total change of your skin. But with self-acceptance and family support, one can do it. Please remember, beauty is not skin deep. There are deeper values in you that matter. Life is precious. Accept whatever comes to you, face it, and enjoy your life."

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Tripti, 33
"I have had vitiligo since my childhood," Tripti says, "but I didn't get psychologically affected by it then. I grew up as a normal child [and] was able to study. Now I got a good job. My only fear is about the future. I always wonder if I will be able to have a husband and a family."

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Mayura, 26
"There will be at least one person in this entire world who will look at my inner beauty, rather than my outer beauty," Mayura says.

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Sunita, 20
"I am uncomfortable, as I feel that people's perspective on me has changed since I got vitiligo," Sunita says.

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Nikita, 19
"Since I got vitiligo, I have seen some slight changes in how people relate to me in my neighborhood," Nikita says. "But I found out that many other people got this, so I realized it is not such a big deal."

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Sandhya, 48, and Dilip, 52
"I got vitiligo when I was 21," Sandhya says. "At first I was afraid. I wouldn't go out, meet people or go to functions, and the problem was that I couldn't find a job because of it, and I totally lost confidence. My relation with vitiligo changed dramatically after my marriage. I could finally be with someone who could understand my feelings, because he has the same problem, and I set myself free. I have always been very happy with my husband."


The Source:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2023428,00.html
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

Thanks a lot for starting this thread. Im so forcing a friend to read this as she doesn't believe him.. Its so sad to see what he went through during his life. And that while being the biggest superstar in this world:cry: he must be right, no man could bare what he went through, no one.
 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

? Open Your Mind ?



? My personal experience: My oldest sister has Vitiligo. She started developing signs at age 5.
She felt embarrassed in the summer especially and couldn't sun bath nor today use tanning beds. She was born in 1968 and myself in 1977, So, I grew up around this my whole life. The disease is REAL.

? Vitiligo (vit-ill-EYE-go) is a disorder in which white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. This happens because the cells that make pigment (color) in the skin are destroyed. These cells are called melanocytes (ma-LAN-o-sites). Vitiligo can also affect the mucous membranes (such as the tissue inside the mouth and nose) and the eye.

Vitiligo affects anyone of any race in any place of the world.

types-of-vitiligo.jpg



Open Your Mind. Open Your Heart. The Eyes Are Useless When The Mind Is Blind.

Different Types of Vitiligo

Localized
?Focal: This type is characterized by one or more areas of pigment loss in a confined area.
?Segmental: This type manifests as one or more areas of pigment loss on only one side of the body. It occurs most commonly in children.This type of vitiligo is not associated with thyroid or other autoimmune disorders.
?Mucosal: Mucous membranes alone are affected.

Generalized
?Acrofacial: Depigmentation occurs on parts away from the center of the body such as face, head, hands and feet.
?Vulgaris: This is characterized by scattered patches that are widely distributed.
?Mixed: Acrofacial and vulgaris vitiligo occur in combination, or segmental and acrofacial vitiligo and/or vulgaris involvement are noted in combination.
?Universal: This is complete or nearly complete depigmentation.


http://www.vitiligosupport.org/




 
Re: Vitiligo Fact File Thread

:heart: MJ*PP :pray:

That is exactly how we feel MJJ*PP ! No MAN could have gone through what he went through and survived and returned so much LOVE to others ! Thank you so much for sharing all the information you found here with your friend ! Tell your friend that if they ever want to ask more questions so they can understand a little bit better what Michael lived through, we are here anytime :agree: Please come back and visit us again :group: :clapping:


Thanks a lot for starting this thread. Im so forcing a friend to read this as she doesn't believe him.. Its so sad to see what he went through during his life. And that while being the biggest superstar in this world:cry: he must be right, no man could bare what he went through, no one.
 
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