Health and appearance of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson in May 1984. He had a third rhinoplasty several months before this photograph was taken.

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American musician and entertainer who spent over forty years in the public eye, first as a child star with the Jackson 5, and later as a solo artist. He was so successful that he became deemed by the public (worldwide) was the King of Pop. No artist had been deemed a King of music since Elvis Presley was deemed the King of Rock and Roll. His influence was and is extremely far reaching. Some sources say as of today, he is the most famous man in the world. His name is known to people in almost every region.

Changes in Appearance

From the mid-1980s it became clear that Jackson's appearance was changing dramatically. His skin tone became lighter, his nose and facial shape changed, and he lost weight. The lighter skin tone was initially caused by '''vitiligo''' and lupus — with which Jackson was diagnosed in 1986 — and his use of make-up to cover the blotched skin. Surgeons speculated he also had a rhinoplasty (after a broken nose accident), then later a forehead lift, cheekbone surgery, and alteration of his lips. Those close to the singer say that, by 1990, he had undergone around ten procedures.

Jackson and some of his siblings said they had been physically and emotionally abused by their father, and in 2003, his father admitted whipping Jackson as a child.

Psychology calls emotional abuse the most dangerous type of abuse because there are no bruises and cuts to see with the eye.. the mental brainwashing that occurs after around 2 years of this treatment is horrible and the victim becomes more and more unable to argue with the abuser, all while not truly knowing they are being abused, only that they are in emotional pain that the abuser usually attributes to them being "fragile". Blame is the number one tactic of abusers.

Physical abuse on a child has horrible results in later life, abuse is hand and hand with neglect. Neglect is number one in psychology as a cause of later adult disorders and problem behaviors. Children who are abused at such an early age usually never learn the way that they should have been treated. Without psychotherapy, they are mostly stuck in a cycle of finding abusers without knowing it all through life.

The siblings described one instance in which when the Jackson 5 would rehearse in their basement, father Joe Jackson would watch and train them with belt in hand. If one made a mistake they would be whipped for it and told to start again as if nothing had happened. Joe Jackson was a singer whos talents did not make it to the top before he had the boys. Singing was natural around the house according to Michaels mother and one day she and Joe got the idea of forming a band with their children. After that all Joes dreams were placed onto the kids.

Michael himself rarely spoke about it, but when he did, he became very emotional and said he would throw up before meeting his father. That type of reaction to a present day meeting with someone who caused him harm in the past points to a strong case of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Mental health experts said he had the mind of a regressed ten-year-old, physicians said he suffered from BDD '''body dysmorphic disorder'''. Dr. Deepak Chopra, a friend of Jackson's for 20 years, said: "What became his compulsion with cosmetic surgery was an expression of self-mutilation, a total lack of respect for himself." Michael himself described his panic, anxiety disorders, and depression.

At some point during the 1990s, it appears that Jackson became dependent on prescription drugs, mainly painkillers and strong sedatives, (the story behind this usually supports that Michael had an injury that required painkillers and later after healing his use of the medicine didn't stop, this is not uncommon when the painkillers have opiates and derivitives of morphine. Those types of painkillers are highly addictive.) His health deteriorated dramatically. He went into rehab in 1993 with the help of Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John, but it seems the addiction remained or happened again. Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009. The results of the autopsy are not yet released.

Vitiligo and lupus, treatments and effects

Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, pictured in the early stages of the disease

Jackson's skin was a medium-brown color throughout his youth, but, starting in the mid 1980s, his skin gradually grew more pale through what was identified by the media and so widely considered to be continued bleaching and changing of his features to appear European. This change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that Jackson was bleaching his skin. Rumors that Michael repeatedly denied later in life after the usual tactic he relied on (privacy and attempting to keep the media out of his personal life) were not working.

According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the vitiligo lightens skin in patches, spreading progressively over time. The vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission; both illnesses made him very sensitive to sunlight, which could have caused his lupus condition to reawaken.

To treat these conditions, Jackson used Solaquin, Tretinoin and Benoquin. He also had hydroxychloroquine injected directly into his scalp regularly. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and with the application of pancake makeup to even out his skin tone, he could appear very pale.

In February 1993, Jackson gave an unusually candid ninety-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey, his first televised interview since 1979. During this interview, he dismissed suggestions that he bleached his skin, declaring publicly for the first time that he had the illness and that he used heavy makeup to even out his complexion. The interview was watched by 62 million Americans. It also started a public discourse on the topic of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition before then. During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married his dermatologist's nurse, Deborah Jeanne Rowe. The pair first met in the mid-1980s, when Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo. She spent many years treating his illness as well as providing emotional support, and they built a strong friendship before becoming romantically involved. The couple divorced in 1999 and remained friends thereafter.

Cosmetic surgery and diet

The structure of Michaels face also changed over time; several surgeons speculated that he had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips and a cheekbone surgery.

In 1979, Jackson had his first rhinoplasty after breaking his nose during a complex dance routine. However, the surgery was not a complete success, and he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed his second rhinoplasty as well as more throughout his career.

Jackson had his third rhinoplasty in 1984, another in 1986, and much later in his life had a cleft put in his chin. All of this was almost obviously symptoms of BDD. Sufferers of BDD are never satisfied with their facial image. In many ways the psychological disorder is like bullemia or anorexia. The mirror lies to the patient. Most cases show that a person with BDD feels that they look horrific and always want to fix the problem. Plastic surgery goes on for years as the face of the BDD sufferer keeps changing and most of the time for the worse because of their distorted view of their own appearance.

BDD sufferers usually have suffered some-type of childhood trauma or exprience where their appearance was of great importance, or where they suffered abuse at the hands of other kids, parents or anyone in their lives at the time. Michael did speak about his very traumatic time as a teenager once he began to get acne, and that time in his life could have been a precurser to a later onset of BDD.

BDD sufferers must undergo almost constant therapy to keep the symptoms in check. Rarely but in some cases BDD can be effectively beaten. No one knows if Michael Jackson went to a trained and certified psychologist to undergo any psychotherapy to help him in anyway with any issues that troubled him.

Michael wrote in his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk that he only had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin. In the book, he attributed the change in the structure of his face to puberty, a strict vegetarian diet, weight loss, a change in hair style and stage lighting. Jackson denied allegations that he had altered his eyes. By 1990, the full extent of Jackson's surgery was unknown; those close to the singer estimated he had undergone ten operations on his face up to this point.

In June 1992, the Daily Mirror ran a full, front page picture, allegedly of Jackson's face, which they described as "hideously disfigured" by plastic surgery. (Yet another case where Michael could have had his BDD triggered again after being called hideous). Jackson sued the tabloid and in 1998 they agreed to an out-of-court settlement with Jackson. At the High Court, the paper's former editor acknowledged that after meeting the singer in person, he believed that Jackson was neither hideously disfigured nor scarred. A Daily Mirror solicitor maintained that the publication did not tamper with the picture.

Health concerns

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Childhood, mental health, and Abuse

Jackson and some of his siblings stated that they were physically and mentally abused by their father Joseph from a young age, through incessant rehearsals, whippings and the use of derogatory names such as "big nose" for Jackson; this abuse had affected Jackson through all his life.

In one altercation—later recalled by Marlon Jackson—Joseph held Michael Jackson upside down by one leg and "pummelled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks". Joseph would often trip the male children or push them into walls. One night while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window. Wearing a fright mask, he entered the room screaming and shouting. Joseph said he wanted to teach his children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep.

For a number of years afterward, Jackson suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom. By the early 1980s, he was deeply unhappy; Jackson explained, "Even at home, I'm lonely. I sit in my room sometimes and cry. It's so hard to make friends...I sometimes walk around the neighborhood at night, just hoping to find someone to talk to. But I just end up coming home."

Although it had been reported for a number of years that Jackson had an abusive childhood, he first spoke openly about it in his 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. He grimaced when speaking of the childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. In the same interview, speaking of his father, Jackson said, "There were times when he'd come to see me, I'd get sick...I'd start to regurgitate. I'm sorry...Please don't be mad at me...But I do love him."

In Jackson's other high profile interview Living with Michael Jackson (2003), the singer covered his face with his hand and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse. Jackson recalled that Joseph sat in a chair as the group rehearsed, saying, "He had this belt in his hand. If you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you. It was bad. Real bad." No one knows how far the abuse went. There could have been other forms of abuse present but the Jackson family remains very tight lipped about their personal lives.

Accusations

In 2003, the singer was accused of child sexual abuse and was acquitted two years later. During the investigation, Jackson's profile was examined by mental health professional, Dr. Stan Katz. The doctor spent several hours with the accuser as well. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli, the assessment made by Katz was that Jackson had become a regressed ten-year-old.

Some medical professionals have publicly stated their belief that the singer also had body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer has no concept of how he or she is perceived by others.

Weight and drug addiction

Changes to his face were, in part, due to periods of significant weight loss. Jackson became slimmer in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body". By 1984, Jackson had lost 20 pounds (9.1 kg), bringing his weight to 105 pounds (48 kg) on a 5 foot 11 (1.80 m) frame, the slimmest he had ever been as an adult. Witnesses reported that Jackson was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from '''anorexia nervosa'''.

Following accusations of child molestation in 1993, Jackson stopped eating, losing even more weight. In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance (which was subsequently cancelled); the incident was caused by a stress-related '''panic attack'''. The BBC reported that during his 2005 trial, the singer again suffered from stress-related illnesses (anxiety disorders/panic disorders) and severe weight loss.

In 1993, the entertainer admitted taking painkillers, and sedatives such as Valium, Xanax and Ativan to deal with the stress of the child sexual abuse allegations made against him. A few months after the allegations became news, Jackson had lost approximately 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) in weight and had stopped eating. In a court deposition unrelated to alleged child abuse, Jackson was visibly drowsy, lacked concentration and repeatedly slurred while speaking. He could not remember the dates of his prior album releases or names of people he had worked with. It took him several minutes to name some of his recent albums.

Jackson's health had deteriorated to the extent that he canceled the remainder of his tour and flew with friends Elizabeth Taylor and her husband to London. When the singer arrived at the airport, he had to be held up by his two friends; he was then rushed to the home of Elton John's manager and then to a clinic. He was searched for drugs on entry; vials of medicine were found in a suitcase. He took over the fourth floor of the hospital and was put on Valium IV to wean him from painkillers. The singer's spokesperson then told reporters that Jackson was "barely able to function adequately on an intellectual level". While in the clinic, Jackson took part in group and one-on-one therapy sessions. According to Taraborrelli, in January 2004, as his trial approached, Jackson became dependent on the pain killers morphine and Demerol.

A police warrant issued against his attending physician, Conrad Murray, stated that Jackson's many doctors had used nineteen distinct aliases, such as "Omar Arnold," "Josephine Baker," "Fernand Diaz," "Paul Farance," "Peter Madonie," "Faheem Muhammad," "Roselyn Muhammad," "Blanca Nicholas," "Jimmy Nicholas," "Bryan Singleton," and "Frank Tyson," while prescribing medications for Jackson.

He also took prescriptions as "Prince," "Michael Amir," and "Kai Chase," the names of his son, his spokesperson, and his former personal chef, respectively. Police found a CD mentioning the "Omar Arnold" alias when they raided the Las Vegas, Nevada home and office of Dr. Conrad Murray.

Death

Main article: Death of Michael Jackson

Following Jackson's death, reports of his use of pethidine (Demerol) surfaced.

Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who provided nutritional counseling to Jackson, said that he asked her in May 2008 to supply him with propofol for his chronic insomnia. This specific drug induces a dreamless sleep. Michael had been suffering from insomnia and nightmares since 1989 and had taken sedatives to sleep since then. Nightmares that go on for such an extended period of time are symptoms of P.t.s.d. Somehow he found out about the use of propofol (used to put patients to sleep before surgery) and was introduced to it. Now he wanted this drug again and pleaded with Lee to let him have it. Lee refused, telling him, "Michael, the only problem with you taking this medication ... is you're going to take it and you're not going to wake up." Jackson dismissed the warning, telling her he had been given the drug before, by IV injection, and that his doctor told him it was safe as long as they watch over him. He did not name the doctor.

An overdose of propofol can cause the patient to stop breathing, leading to a shortage of oxygen and a buildup of carbon dioxide in the body which can lead to arrhythmias and cardiac arrest.

According to Lee, she received a frantic call on June 21, 2009 from an aide on Jackson's staff. The aide reported that Jackson was feeling ill. Lee reported overhearing Jackson complain that one side of his body was hot, the other side cold. Because of those symptoms, she believed that somebody had given him something that affected his central nervous system. She advised the aide to take him to hospital right away. He was never taken.

Autopsy results for Michael Jackson are still not released. Their arrival may pave the way for lawsuits to be made against the doctors who "watched over" Michael. Ecspecially the doctor who lived in his home to provide safe care.

New information / News sources

Fox News released this article on December 21, 2008

Report: Michael Jackson Suffering From Potentially Fatal Health Issues

(QUOTE)

Michael Jackson is reportedly in desperate need of an emergency transplant operation to save his life from a rare lung condition, according to the author of a new biography of the singer. Best-selling author Ian Halperin has completed a book about Jackson’s life, which claims that the pop icon, 50, suffers from Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a potentially fatal genetic illness, as well as emphysema and gastrointestinal bleeding.

“He’s had it for years, but it’s gotten worse,” Halperin told In Touch magazine. “He needs a lung transplant but may be too weak to go through with it … [But] it’s the [gastrointestinal] bleeding that is the most problematic part. It could kill him.” Halperin also claims that the “Thriller” and “Bad” singer can barely speak and is 95-percent blind in his left eye.

Earlier this year, Jackson was photographed in a wheelchair. A few weeks ago, he was spotted receiving help walking. Jackson's rep as not available for comment.

References

• Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0828320039.
• George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection booklet. Sony BMG.
• Jackson, Michael (1988). Moon Walk. Doubleday. ISBN 0385247125.
• Lewis, Jel (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop;: The Big Picture: the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews!. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 0-974977-90-X.
• Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Terra Alta, WV: Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4.