Why Did Michael Cover Up His Vitiligo Instead of Letting it Be?

[mjchris]

Vitiligo ist something personal. No reason for him to show it to everyone.

[mj_frenzy]

Couple that with the Pepsi burns and lupus, as well as the bullying he experienced from his father and brothers, I’m not surprised he was so guarded about his looks and reluctant to talk about it.

Actually those Pepsi burns on his scalp (in January 1984) worsened his vitiligo even more.

But Michael Jackson ‘s vitiligo got worse also by another factor: his escalated anxiety and stress brought on by the Victory Tour performances and by his constant efforts to remain the biggest star in general.

These factors (scalp injury, anxiety, stress) scientifically fall into the category of the environmental factors that worsen one’s vitiligo.

This explains why Michael Jackson’s vitiligo developed so rapidly on his skin from mid-80s onwards.

[NatureCriminal7896]

Actually those Pepsi burns on his scalp (in January 1984) worsened his vitiligo even more.

But Michael Jackson ‘s vitiligo got worse also by another factor: his escalated anxiety and stress brought on by the Victory Tour performances and by his constant efforts to remain the biggest star in general.

These factors (scalp injury, anxiety, stress) scientifically fall into the category of the environmental factors that worsen one’s vitiligo.

This explains why Michael Jackson’s vitiligo developed so rapidly on his skin from mid-80s onwards.

Poor Mike. i'm glad he left his brothers. they was apart of the reasons why he went though so much crap. also screw Pepsi. we always knew they were always behind this crap.

[AlwaysThere]

Those who knew Michael often spoke about his self-confidence issues, most of which rooted around his acne and the size of his nose (which his father and brothers apparently mocked him mercilessly about). Plus, there's that whole theory that he wanted plastic surgery to diminish his resemblance to Joseph, though I'm not sure that's ever been confirmed. On top of that, he was pretty much the media's punching bag when the vitiligo started to become more obvious; if he breathed funny, the media would point and laugh at him.

I imagine the last thing he'd want is to give the world more reasons to make him feel bad about himself.

[Elton-Cetera]

[Electro]

But Michael Jackson ‘s vitiligo got worse also by another factor: his escalated anxiety and stress brought on by the Victory Tour performances and by his constant efforts to remain the biggest star in general.

Speculation. Not fact.

[83magic]

it was clearly a difficult thing for him to come to terms with, as he became emotional when he spoke of it for the first time in '93.

I wonder if it would have been better to release a press statement, and have his manager read it at a conference? I understand that he didn't want to go into his medical history, but unfortunately, it just left more room for speculation. that's why he was constantly asked about it. it should have been properly explained to begin with.

having said that, I never got the impression that he wanted to go back to his old looks. he even said that he would rather be like lisa marie because she could tan. tan is not the same as black.. his make up artist karen faye said that Michael chose to use the paler foundations and bright red lipstick. there was also the story of the director of the 'you rock my world' video suggesting that Michael wear a darker foundation. he apparently threw a fit in his dressing room..

somebody mentioned the 'victory' tour earlier, and i'm glad they did. it was around this time that he was painting himself in white makeup; on his face, neck, hands, chest.. whatever parts he planned to expose. it would come off on his clothes. there are pictures of him backstage doing this (with jermaines' help). also, the photographs were brightened to make he and his brothers appear 25% lighter than they were. apparently this was their father joseph's order. this was evident in the 'victory' album inlay, tour book, and publicity pictures. there's a huge difference between Michael's appearance between the first date in Kansas, and Toronto. the tour only lasted 5 months, I think..

he would alternate between looking tanned and white between 85' and '91, before permanently settling on white from '92 onwards. the fact the plastic surgery began before this didn't help matters either. neither did the fact that his sister latoya's skin had also become lighter (she was always fair skinned, but never white). some felt the transformation was complete in '92. maybe they were right? i'm not disputing that he had the disease. this was shown on his autopsy after all, but maybe this helped him to become the vision that he had for himself? he was an artist after all.

as usual fans have taken this on as their own problem. they speculate that every shadow, blemish, or discolouration was vitiligo. I've even seen them photoshop it on to pictures that didn't originally have it! it's suspect. Michael himself didn't even go to those lengths to prove it. he didn't even mention it by name initially. he was not a spokesperson for the disease the way that Michael j fox was for Parkinson's. I honestly don't think he planned to address it at all during that interview based on his reaction. he should have known that it was the number one question that people wanted to know. apparently he rolled up his sleeve to show the brown spots on his arm during the commercial break. wouldn't it have been more effective to do that on camera instead?

over the years he continued to equate skin lightening with sunbathing. people can only judge what they see. what they saw was not oblivious vitiligo, it was the overall skin tone becoming lighter with time. vitiligo shows up in patches. bleaching rumours began with 'bad' (even though his skin was getting lighter before then), and continued for years because there was no correction or explanation from Michael or his team. he even allowed the writers of the simpsons episode to make a joke about it!

it's easy for fans who weren't around during that time to leave angry comments under old news reports, but you have to understand the context of it all. people, including fans back then, were genuinely concerned..

[KOPV]

It's 2019 and Winnie Harlow makes headlines for showing Vitiligo. Walk around as a dark person with white markings all over you as a 'normal person' in a WalMart and tell me the stairs don't have any psychological effect. Imagine being in his shoes!

His appearance was talked about years before his skin tone changed, he embodied bravery.

[SmoothCriminal1995]

It must be hard enough having vitiligo, and seeing yourself become unrecognisable in the mirror, let alone while the whole world is watching.
I don't blame Michael for trying to hide it, he had his reasons and I respect him for them

[Elton-Cetera]

Have any of Michael Jackson's brothers ever had plastic surgery on their faces, their noses?

[NatureCriminal7896]

I hate this world. this cruel sick world.

[NatureCriminal7896]

Have any of Michael Jackson's brothers ever had plastic surgery on their faces, their noses?

I'm not sure but i got feeling janet got her nose changed. i could be wrong.

[Elton-Cetera]

I'm not sure but i got feeling janet got her nose changed. i could be wrong.

Janet is a yes. But, I don't know why both her and Michael like their noses pointing upward. To look like Peter Pan?

[Mikky Dee]

Have any of Michael Jackson's brothers ever had plastic surgery on their faces, their noses?

Probably all of them...

[NatureCriminal7896]

Janet is a yes. But, I don't know why both her and Michael like their noses pointing upward. To look like Peter Pan?

I have no idea. i really wish they left their noses alone. but it's all their father fault and their brothers because they bullied them when their were younger. Michael actually got his nose done once but due to the lupus and the vitiligo it kind of made things worst. some fans tend to draw Michael with his real nose.

it's really sad family bullied him. what kind of family is that? i'm serious what the heck? ugh. poor michael. i hope he in better place now where no one can judge him.