Michael Jackson's Skin Condition and Media Speculation

In 1986, Michael Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo, a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment, and discoid lupus erythematosus. The drastic effects of vitiligo on his body caused psychological distress, leading Jackson to use fair-colored makeup and possibly skin-bleaching prescription creams to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness. This change in his skin color drew widespread media coverage and speculation that he had been bleaching his skin. Jackson's dermatologist, Arnold Klein, confirmed the diagnosis and stated that Jackson could not control his vitiligo. Jackson's mother later revealed that he turned to cosmetic procedures to remedy his vitiligo and speculated that he had become addicted to them. Additionally, in 1986, it was reported that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow aging, a story he denied. The British tabloid The Sun branded him 'Wacko Jacko,' a name he despised. Jackson also worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute $30 million 3D film Captain EO, which ran from 1986 at Disneyland and Epcot, and later at Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland. In 1987, Ebony reported that Jackson had disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, possibly due to their opposition to the Thriller video.