Skin Condition Made Michael Jackson Wear The White Sparkling Glove

August 30, 2019 20:11

Author By Fabiosa

Michael Jackson's single white glove decorated with rhinestones was a special feature of his outfit, which he wore on stage and in his music videos. Many think the glove was just a decoration, but the truth is more complicated. According to Jackson' friend, actress Cicely Tyson, and several other sources, The King of Pop started putting on the glove to cover up vitiligo spots.

Публикация от Michael Jackson (@michaeljackson) 29 Авг 2013 в 12:09 PDT

When Michael Jackson's skin started to lighten in the 1980s, his fans were bemused. Was the singer bleaching his skin because he didn't want to be black? But, as his dermatologist confirmed, Jackson indeed had vitiligo (the fact was later confirmed by the autopsy report).

Getty Images / Ideal Image

Jackson was always in the public eye, and he was self-conscious about his condition, so he was desperate to do something about it. Thus, the singer used creams to even out his skin tone, and that eventually led to his unnaturally pale appearance.

Getty Images / Ideal Image

So, what about the glove? Jackson's vitiligo reportedly started as discolored patches on his right hand, so he decided to use a fancy glove to cover it up. The glove even became the singer's trademark and earned him one of his nicknames, The Gloved One. There were several white gloves Michael Jackson wore, and the one he put on for his first Moonwalk was auctioned off for a whopping $350,000, just months after his untimely passing. In 2015, another one of his gloves fetched a more modest sum, $64,000.

Getty Images / Ideal Image

Michael Jackson started to develop vitiligo at the time the disorder wasn't widely known. But now, public awareness of vitiligo is increasing, and many of those affected by the skin condition aren't trying to hide it. And they shouldn't; they are beautiful anyway!