The new Michael Jackson biopic has sparked renewed interest in vitiligo – the condition the singer claimed drastically altered his appearance and fuelled years of speculation that he had bleached his skin.
The disorder, which causes the skin to lose its pigment, leaves sufferers with irregular milky-white patches that can spread across the body.
While it’s not contagious or physically painful, the condition can have a profound influence on the quality of life of people who live with it.
Dr Dev Patel, an NHS GP, told the Daily Mail that vitiligo is often misunderstood as purely cosmetic, but its impact runs much deeper.
‘For many patients, it can significantly affect self-esteem, confidence and overall quality of life, particularly when visible areas like the face or hands are involved,’ he said.
‘I see – both professionally and with personal contacts – how it influences social interactions and mental well-being.
‘Skin is such a central part of identity, so when pigmentation changes unpredictably, it can feel very exposing and difficult to navigate.’
But aside from leaving white patches on the skin, many people have been left wondering what it is and who it affects.
Michael Jackson – pictured in 2005 – was diagnosed with vitiligo in the 1980s
Pictured: The biological process of vitiligo, a skin condition characterised by the loss of pigment in patches
What is vitiligo?
Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition in which the body mistakenly attacks melanocytes – the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour.
As those cells are destroyed, patches of skin lose their colour.
The face, hands and arms are most commonly affected, as well as areas around the eyes and mouth. In many cases, the patches appear on both sides of the body.
Though the condition does not harm the body physically, studies show it can have a significant impact on mental health, contributing to anxiety, low mood and loss of confidence.
Why did Michael Jackson’s skin colour change?
For years, rumours circulated that Michael Jackson had deliberately lightened his skin with bleaching agents.
In reality, he had been living with vitiligo. He was diagnosed with it in the mid-1980s and first spoke publicly about it in 1993.
As seen in the film, the first lighter patches appeared on his hands. He began hiding them with a single white glove, a look that became one of his trademarks.
As the condition progressed, he lost pigment across his face, chest and arms.
To manage the uneven appearance, he used heavy makeup and later a depigmenting cream to lighten the remaining darker areas of his skin.
His 2009 autopsy confirmed he had vitiligo, describing a ‘focal depigmentation of the skin’. It also found he had lupus, another autoimmune condition that can affect the skin.
Who is affected?
Vitiligo affects around one in 100 people in the UK, with similar figures worldwide. In the United States, estimates suggest between one and two per cent of the population is affected.
It occurs in all ethnic groups at similar rates but is often more visible in people with darker skin.
The condition can begin at any age, though it commonly develops before 30.
Dr Dev says that despite hundreds of thousands of individuals living with the condition in the UK, awareness and understanding are still relatively low.
In some cases, it may be triggered by illness, emotional stress, sunburn or skin trauma in people who are genetically predisposed.
‘The exact trigger isn’t always clear, but we know there’s often a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors, such as stress, skin trauma or illness,’ he said.
‘It’s not contagious, and it’s not caused by anything a patient has done, which is an important misconception to address.’
Supermodel Winnie Harlow – pictured in 2023 – developed vitiligo when she was four years old
In 2020, Mattel released a Barbie doll with vitiligo to raise awareness of the condition
People with vitiligo often report being stared at, questioned or even bullied, leading some to conceal affected areas with makeup or clothing. But attitudes are shifting.
Model Winnie Harlow has become one of the most recognisable faces in fashion after embracing her vitiligo, urging others not to hide what makes them different.
Public figures, including Graham Norton and actress Georgia May Foote have also spoken openly about the condition.
How is vitiligo treated?
There is no cure for vitiligo and treatment options have historically been limited.
Patients have relied on camouflage products, steroid creams – which can thin the skin over time – and light therapy that requires repeated hospital visits and does not always deliver lasting results.
Now, a newer treatment is offering hope.
A cream called Ruxolitinib has been approved for NHS use in some patients. It works by calming the immune response that damages pigment-producing cells, allowing skin colour to gradually return.
Clinical trials have shown that some patients can regain significant pigment, particularly on the face, though results vary and the treatment is not suitable for everyone.
While vitiligo remains without a cure, experts say advances such as ruxolitinib mark an important step forward in treatment.
‘It is one of the first therapies to directly target the immune processes driving vitiligo, rather than simply managing symptoms,’ said Dr Dev.
‘Previous approaches have largely focused on control rather than reversal, often with limited results or drawbacks.
‘This represents a move towards more precise, evidence-based care and gives more patients access to treatments that were previously only available privately.’
For now, there is still no cure – but growing understanding and new treatments are changing how the condition is managed and perceived.
