# really, exactly how DID Jackson become white all over his body? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 2, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754 "2009-07-02T23:29:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/41 "2009-07-06T14:42:11Z")
I don’t see how anyone can view those photos and NOT believe he actually had vitiligo. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt so here is an alternative explanation for his whiteness. He’s a popular black entertainer who has a disease that destroys pigmentation. Have you seen pictures of albino africans? [http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=albino%20africans&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=albino%20africans&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) The brain sees white skin so expects white features, but you have african features and white skin. It can be a little unsettling to those not expecting it. Since appearance is everything in the entertainment industry, he basically had whiteness forced on him. It was logical for him to embrace it. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/42 "2009-07-06T15:07:27Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > The fact that he sustained third degree burns to his scalp may have had something to do with it. What? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/43 "2009-07-06T15:30:09Z")
> [@Brandus](#): > > [albino africans - Google Search](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=albino%20africans&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) > > The brain sees white skin so expects white features, but you have african features and white skin. It can be a little unsettling to those not expecting it. Since appearance is everything in the entertainment industry, he basically had whiteness forced on him. It was logical for him to embrace it. I didn’t understand your point until I clicked on the link. It’s bizarre how animalistic they look. Like some kind or gorilla-human, or tiger-human crossbreed. I wonder how white people turned black would look? Or albino asians? Or black asians? EDIT: don’t mean that in a racist way, but black features on white skin is sooo not attractive if those pictures are representative. Kept looking and found some worse ones. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/44 "2009-07-06T15:46:42Z")
Is it at all relevant to point out that I’ve seen video clips of him jumping into swimming pools/being squirted with water guns without him looking at all splotchy afterward? Or is his make up just that good? ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/45 "2009-07-06T15:50:33Z")
I think it was made permanent after a while, so save him the hassle of continuously reapplying. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/46 "2009-07-06T15:53:36Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > I think it was made permanent after a while, so save him the haste of continuously reapplying. So that gets back to the OP’s question. How did he permanently bleach his skin? Are there pills you can take for that? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/47 "2009-07-06T16:24:19Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > So that gets back to the OP’s question. How did he permanently bleach his skin? Are there pills you can take for that? Doesn’t vitiligo just continue to progress? I did read that there is some pill you can take when you have vitiligo that will speed up the process and some people opt for that instead of staying super splotchy. Any truth to this? ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/48 "2009-07-06T16:27:39Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve seen pictures of Michael Jackson where he most definitely was splotchy. Right, those look nothing like real vitiligo [![](https://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/bwthomasap.jpg) ](https://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/bwthomasap.jpg) [![](https://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/Immunology/Students/Spring2003/Leese/Vitiligo.jpg) ](https://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/Immunology/Students/Spring2003/Leese/Vitiligo.jpg) [http://www.greathomeremedies.com/vitiligo3.jpg](http://www.greathomeremedies.com/vitiligo3.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/49 "2009-07-06T16:29:14Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Doesn’t vitiligo just continue to progress? I did read that there is some pill you can take when you have vitiligo that will speed up the process and some people opt for that instead of staying super splotchy. Any truth to this? From **Blue Moon’s** link: > [@](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/50 "2009-07-06T16:32:53Z")
Sorry, I don’t think there’s pill. It appears to be topical. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/51 "2009-07-06T16:39:54Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Right, those look nothing like real vitiligo > > [http://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/bwthomasap.jpg](http://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/bwthomasap.jpg) > > [http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/Immunology/Students/Spring2003/Leese/Vitiligo.jpg](http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/Immunology/Students/Spring2003/Leese/Vitiligo.jpg) > > [http://www.greathomeremedies.com/vitiligo3.jpg](http://www.greathomeremedies.com/vitiligo3.jpg) Okie dokie, I can Google search, too: [http://atozbeauty.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/vitigilo22.jpg](http://atozbeauty.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/vitigilo22.jpg) [http://www.indiandermatology.org/gallery/vitiligo/Vitiligo.jpg](http://www.indiandermatology.org/gallery/vitiligo/Vitiligo.jpg) The appears to be a tremendous difference in how the disease effects people and the fact that a doctor has come in this thread and said MJ isn’t atypical in his experience should say something to the layman Googlist. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/52 "2009-07-06T19:12:26Z")
> [@Cabbage](#): > > Yes they did. I remember wondering at the time if that could be used as evidence in his conviction. However, before that time he had already mentioned he had vitiligo, so I remember thinking that it wouldn’t be a big stretch for an accuser to gamble on that. Not that I’m trying to defend him; I’ve always been fairly agnostic about everything I hear regarding MJ, but I don’t think this is damning evidence. No, but they were able to describe them in _detail_ is. > [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > What? 😕 [Here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson#1982.E2.80.9385:_Thriller.2C_Motown_25.2C_We_Are_the_World_and_business_career): > [@](#): > > Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Jackson suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. Happening in front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, the incident was the subject of heavy media scrutiny and elicited an outpouring of sympathy.[40] PepsiCo settled a lawsuit out of court, and Jackson gave his $1.5 million settlement to the “Michael Jackson Burn Center” which was a piece of new technology to help people with severe burns.[40] Jackson had his third rhinoplasty shortly afterward and grew self conscious about his appearance.[20] ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/53 "2009-07-06T19:20:53Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > What? 😕 OK. They were 2d degree burns. Wikepedia: > [@](#): > > Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Jackson suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/54 "2009-07-06T19:23:39Z")
Word is -and note, this is JUST a rumor, sorry, no cite – that is when he started getting hooked on pain-killers. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/55 "2009-07-06T19:54:40Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > What? 😕 OK. The burns were second-degree. Wikepedia: > [@](#): > > Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Jackson suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. The latest issue of _TIME_, Vol. 174, No. 1 states: > [@](#): > > After he was injured in a fire while shooting a Pepsi commercial in 1984 and, later, in a stage fall, he became dependent on prescription medication and on Dr. Feelgoods who cater to the pharmacological demands of the stars. “The doctors prescribed so much [sic] drugs, it was crazy,” said a longtime Jackson family attorney, Brian Oxman. Jackson often looked frail and wasted away in his public appearances, the result said another tabloid [referring to a prior paragraph and not the grammar handicapped lawyer], of a malady called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic condition that leads to the breakdown of the lungs… ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/56 "2009-07-07T21:31:57Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Right, those look nothing like real vitiligo you’re ridiculous. If he did have it, and i’m inclined to believe he did, he wouldn’t go out in public without putting on tons of makeup to cover it up-- like he and his assistants maintained. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/57 "2009-07-07T23:36:09Z")
Cicely Tyson said that her costume designer also designed for Michael Jackson. She said the vitiligo started on his hand, and that’s why he started wearing the glove. TIFWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/58 "2009-07-08T02:58:39Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > I wonder how white people turned black would look? [Tamil?](http://lankapura.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/portrait-of-a-tamil-lady.jpg) > [@](#): > > Or black asians? [Malagasy?](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GKFCuF7YegQ/R1Lvmokvo-I/AAAAAAAAB8A/xyqiQMg4Y8M/s1600-R/folder.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/59 "2009-07-08T13:57:07Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Here: I know full well about his head getting burns back in the 80s, but I was wondering what the hell that had to do with his vitiligo. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754/60 "2009-07-09T03:44:54Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > I wonder how white people turned black would look? Godfrey Cambridge in _[Watermelon Man](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon_Man_(film))_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-exactly-how-did-jackson-become-white-all-over-his-body/501754.md?page=4)