The Options in the Treatment of Vitiligo in Nigeria.
He would have been excommunicated from our race if it was in the days of “Things Fall Apart” Nobody gave him a chance to explain or hear his own side of the story…Everybody felt disappointed and betrayed! He was victimized…yet INNOCENT!
In a time where every thing bad was linked with the dark skin, Joseph showed “Black Is GREAT”
So you could feel the rage when they felt he wasn’t proud of his skin color and that’s why he “Bleached” to look white…
Did he bleach?…Yes
Why did he bleach?…Nobody NEVER asked!
Today marks the 11th year anniversary since his death…May he continue to Rest In Peace.
Today also the #WorldVitiligoDay
What’s the link??? Sit tight!!!
His full name is “MICHEAL JOSEPH JACKSON” and in 1986 he was diagnosed with VITILIGO
So what is VITILIGO?
But just before we jump to VITILIGO…A Little Introduction…
The human skin is divided into 3 layers;
• EPIDERMIS
• DERMIS
– It contains hair follicles, blood vessels and nerves
• HYPODERMIS
– Innermost layer that contains fat and tissues and links the skin to the muscles
What About The EPIDERMIS?
– It’s the outermost layer of the skin and it contains cells such as;
1. KERATINOCYTES
– They give the skin its toughness
2. MELANOCYTES
– They produce a pigment called melanin that gives the skin its color.
A little more about MELANIN…
• MELANIN…
– The amount of “active” melanin in a person’s skin determines if the person will be dark or fair.
– The more active melanin, the darker the skin, the less active melanin, the fairer the skin.
– Sunlight increases melanin production reasons Africans are darker.
In VITILIGO there is a loss/absence of MELANOCYTES causing reduced melanin
The reduced melanin now causes whitish patches on the skin of the person.
VITILIGO means a skin blemish that is non-contagious characterised by patches of skin discoloration caused by reduced melanocytes.
1n 1986 Micheal Jackson noticed white patches on his hand that was why he wore his famous glove…not as a fashion statement but to cover the patches…
Patches started appearing on his face…
So what CAUSED it…What Are The CAUSES Of VITILIGO?
– The exact causes of are not known but it has been linked to genes and some environmental factors.
Genetic in the sense that if you have a relative that has vitiligo, you might have the genes for it.
In some others, it was noticed that these whitish patches appeared after an injury to the skin.
Initially Micheal Jackson used makeup to cover up the patches but when they increased, he had to do something else..”What did he do?”
TREATMENT OF VITILIGO
1. Cosmetic Cover up
– This can be done when the patches are small like what Jackson did…use make up to blend the skin.
But when the patches become large and spreading all over the body…the following can be done;
2. Skin Bleaching
– This must be done under the guidance of a dermatologist (Skin Doctor/Specialist) Micheal did this and his dermatologist,Dr. Arnold Klein confirmed it.
3. Skin Grafting
– This is surgical replacement of the skin…This is extreme but people do it.
Then you can decide to rock your God-given skin like that like Canadian fashion model WINNIE HALLOW
As we celebrate #WorldVitiligoDay we need to stop the stigmatization…
You do not get Vitiligo by touching someone that has it. That’s why it’s “non-contagious”.
And it’s not their fault their skin is that way…THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!
Happy #WorldVitiligoDay Champs and keep Resting In Peace “King Of Pop” Micheal Joseph Jackson.
Sports Dokita
