Michael Jackson's glove was to hide (vitiligo) skin problem

On July, 9 2009 CNN presented a news about Michael Jackson vitiligo:

Actress Cicely Tyson, a friend of Jackson's, said the two shared a fashion designer in the 1980s.

"All of a sudden, he said, 'I'm doing this glove for Michael,' " she said. "Michael was beginning to develop the vitiligo and it started on his hand.

"The glove was to cover the vitiligo; that's how that glove came into being."

Jackson's dermatologist, Dr. Arnie Klein, told CNN that Jackson suffered from vitiligo, a disease that causes blotches of lightening skin, as well as a form of lupus that led to rashes and flaking of skin on his scalp.

Watch Jackson doctor talk with Larry King »

Causes of Vitiligo

Melanin is the pigment that gives the skin its characteristic color. Vitiligo is caused by a loss of pigment in the skin, due to destruction of pigment-forming cells known as melanocytes. The exact cause of the destruction of the pigment-forming cells (melanocytes) in the skin is not known. One possible explanation might be that the body's immune system destroys the cells, as in other autoimmune conditions. Although vitiligo affects all races equally, it is more noticeable in dark-skinned people, like Africans but in white skin people it affects less than black people.

Comments of an American residence about vitiligo cause:

Jose Ferny-Project Manger at BPO tells to http://www.antivitiligooil.com about his son who has vitiligo in New York USA;
I have an eighteen year old child. He has suddenly developed Vitiligo on face and others parts because he play too much football and cricket in the sun. We do not have any family history of vitiligo so it basically developed due to sunburn.

Will the Depigmented Patches Spread?

There is no way to predict if vitiligo will spread. For some people, the depigmented patches do not spread. The disorder is usually progressive, however, and over time the white patches will spread to other areas of the body. For some people, vitiligo spreads slowly, over many years. For other people,spreading occurs rapidly. Some people have reported additional depigmentation following periods of physical or emotional stress.