14 DAY TRIAL // Late singer Michael Jackson would constantly defend himself in the media, saying he did not come to have lighter skin because he’d chosen to, but because he suffered from a rare skin condition called vitiligo. This disease alters skin pigmentation – in Michael’s case, making his skin pale white. His 13-year-old son Prince Michael may be suffering from the same condition, the Daily Mail writes.
The Jackson kids are now holidaying in Hawaii, which is the perfect opportunity for paparazzi to snap them outdoors. Given the singer’s determination to have his three children lead as normal a life as possible, photos with them are rare, therefore very valuable. A set taken just the other day shows Prince Michael with what looks like discolored patches of skin under his arms, which has already sparkled speculation that he may be suffering from the same condition as his father.
“Michael Jackson always maintained he was blighted by a rare skin disease called vitiligo. And it seems his eldest son, Prince Michael may be suffering from the same problem. The 13-year-old revealed white patches under his arm while on a recent holiday to Hawaii with his siblings Paris, 12 and Prince Michael II, eight. While there is the possibility it was the result of sun exposure, it appeared more dramatic than peeling skin,” the Mail says.
“Vitiligo is a hereditary skin condition which discolors the face and body. Jackson, who died last year at the age of 50, blamed the disease for the gradual lightening of his own skin over the years. His claim was always met with some skepticism from critics, who accused him of intentionally bleaching his skin. Now that Prince Michael is showing signs of similar symptoms, some are convinced it is evidence Jackson really WAS the teen’s biological parent. For years the paternity of Jackson’s children has been under question because of the difference in skin tone,” the same publication says.
As of now, the Mail is the only media outlet to have photos of Prince Michael with said patches of lighter skin and to run the story that he too may be suffering from vitiligo like his late father, the King of Pop. Fans must know that Prince Michael and sister Paris were born to wife Debbie Rowe, while the youngest, also known as Blanket, was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed to the press.