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Could Michael Jackson's older son have the same rare skin condition that the King of Pop steadfastly maintained he had?
White patches of skin under Prince Michael's arm were noticeably visible when he wore swim trunks on a recent Hawaiian vacation, prompting speculation that the skin-bleaching disorder vitiligo could be the cause.
Michael Jackson said the condition was to blame for the gradual but steady lightening of his own skin and with his 13-year-old son displaying similar symptoms, skeptics who question the paternity of Jackson's children may finally be convinced that the singer really was the teen's biological father.
But vitiligo, an autoimmune disease, is not always an inherited disorder, Dr. Doris Day, an attending dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, told the Daily News.
"Getting vitiligo because a parent has it could happen," she said. "But it's not necessarily a direct correlation."
Parents can pass down the propensity for an autoimmune condition, but the child of a parent with one autoimmune condition could just as easily have another autoimmune disease or none at all.
In an autoimmune disorder, the body attacks itself. In vitiligo, the person's own immune system attacks the melanin in the skin, which is what determines skin color, explained Dr. Kent Holtorf.
"Vitiligo often starts in adolescence or early adulthood," he said. "Sometimes just a little virus can set it off."
Source: NY Daily News
Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. 
Comments: (42)
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By: Ljen on 7/02/2010 12:29PM
The title of this articles is just down right STUPID!!! "Skin Bleaching Disorder!" How ignorant can someone be?
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By: Rosa on 7/02/2010 3:19PM
Why do you write "Michael Jackson said the condition was to blame for the gradual but steady lightening of his own skin" as if he made it up? This kind of reporting makes me sick. MJ had vitiligo, end of story. Prince does seem to have it too just like his dad. Of course you had to find a doctor who would say well, it could be inherited or it could not, just to support your aim. It's BS! He INHERITED it from Michael if he actually has it.
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By: NiecyC on 7/02/2010 11:40PM
Actually, the coroner's report was release quite a while ago and the report did indeed state that he suffered from vitiligo.
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By: Kathy on 7/03/2010 6:39PM
To smittyt. You need to do your research on Michael jackson before you start running him down. I know what the problem is with black and white folks when it comes to Michael Joe Jackson. The green eyed monster: JEALOUSY!!!!
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By: dwilson on 7/02/2010 5:50PM
How the hell can u argue against a autopsy. It confirmed he did have vitilago morons!! The ignorance of people today is amazing and dishearting. And three peoplel last year already said Prince Micheal does have vitilago as well but people still dont want to accept the truth cause they are racist and cant open their small minds to the fact all three ARE his children just like he always said and said he had vitilago which he did and took his dying to make people see he told the truth. Im so ashamed of the world we live in. Such hateful and ignorant who cant give MJ the respect he desearved that he produce his own biolgial children. How disrepectful how would u feel having people talk about you and that you are not bioligically your parents child...so rude and disrespectful!!! These are children who have been through enough pain and here are people making hurtufl and rude comments about them and their father they loved and who loved them....people need to be ashame of themselves but when u are before the most high you WILL have to answer for all the things youvbe said and done.
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By: JustWonder on 7/03/2010 2:32PM
Your comment let's the world know there are very mature,smart and intelligent people still in existence and you are one, nice comment and very truthful. On the other hand reading other comments shows me there are still some UNEDUCATED, IMMATURE AND DUMB people out there also. Some people believe everything they read, without researching, people act like robots who are programmed to believe everything they hear and some are just brain dead and should not be amoung the normal human race. Some made the comment about skin lightning because alot of African Americans dont like themselves. WOW!!!! I stop counting how man WHITES are tanning so dark they forgot they were WHITE. Make me want to say MMMMMMMM GET THE FACTS OR SHUT UP
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By: Deut818 on 7/03/2010 3:42PM
I'm in agreement, those ARE NOT MJ's biological children anyone can SEE that..and who is blanket's mother? And what is Blanket's REAL name? Why wouldn't the family not say this? As far as MJ having a skin disorder, if so, because MJ with intent BLEACHED his skin..
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By: Sonia on 7/11/2010 9:56AM
im just trying to be of some help, and you were asking what blanket's real name is. just saying - you can google it, if it aint sarcasam. its Prince Michael Jackson II.
here:
Prince : Michael Joseph Jackson Jr.
Paris: Paris Michael Kathrine Jackson
Blanket: Prince Michael Jackson II
almost all of MJ's grandfathers were named prince michael
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By: robbotmodoina on 7/02/2010 11:48PM
It's kinda weird cuz I see the resemblance in him. He looks a lot like MJ. I'm kinda skeptical about it not really being his son. He really does look like mj in a lot of ways. I hope he took some talent after his father too.
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By: hurchalegibbs on 7/03/2010 5:11AM
The oldest, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson I is really Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. 'Prince' is what people mostly call him aka. his nickname. Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II aka Blanket,
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