Michael Jackson struggled with insecurities about his appearance, particularly due to his skin condition called vitiligo, which causes patches of skin to lose pigmentation. His son, Prince Jackson, explained that Michael was open about his condition and discussed it with him during his childhood. Prince also mentioned that his father had concerns about his blotchy appearance and sought treatments to help improve his physical appearance, which was linked to his insecurities.

Michael had previously revealed his skin condition in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where he mentioned his family history of vitiligo. Oprah asked him about changes in the color of his skin over time, addressing speculation about skin bleaching and his racial identity.