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Michael Jackson fan says media edited singer's photos in 2000s to make him look ‘weird’ and 'deformed'

Photoshopped or not, Jackson's autopsy told a different story. It alleged that the star had undergone various cosmetic procedures.

Michael Jackson was accused of bleaching his skin and going through various cosmetic procedures to enhance his facial features but he largely refuted the allegations. As a result, when the 'Thriller' hitmaker's photo from his child molestation trial went viral in 2003, fans began to wonder if it had been altered. A Reddit user posted the now-deleted heavily edited version next to a monochrome image and started a discussion thread questioning the authenticity of media outlets to gain publicity. "I've heard that many photos of Michael from the 2000s were edited by the media to make him look "weird" and "deformed". I found some material about this, but are there other sites or videos that talk about this subject?"

However, few admirers of the King of Pop begged to differ. They stated that fans were obsessed with Jackson's transformation over the years and his features were completely normal due to age and certain medical conditions. “Exactly, people usually never look good in mugshots,” a fan wrote while comparing the pictures. "It’s an unflattering photo from an unflattering point of his life. Can’t we just accept that?" an online user pointed out.

"The one on the left is real. The right in black and white is clearly photoshopped. It’s concerning how fans are really obsessed over his features to an alarming degree especially when we know he had a skin-changing disease, loads of health issues, and some plastic surgery along with natural aging which was bound to make look him different. He wasn’t a freak. He wasn’t deformed. He is who he is," another fan noted.

"Agreed. I read the autopsy report. He had his lips and eyeliner tattooed on as a base. Because of the vitiligo, he had no more skin color so he always applied makeup. The mugshot is in a room with very bright lights so all you see is his skin which has no more pigmentation and the bright tattoos on lips and eyes," an online user chimed. Whether it was Photoshopped or not, Jackson's autopsy told a different story. The 'Billie Jean' singer had been concealing his plastic surgeries until his death, “He had multiple surgeries,” his surgeon Dr. Wallace Goodstein told People. “He came in approximately every two months. It was about 10 to 12 surgeries in two years, while I was there.”

Goodstein shockingly revealed that Jackson had gone under the knife for several nose jobs, cheek implants, cleft reconstruction on the chin, and eyelid surgery. A close source disclosed that the Grammy winner kept his appointments a secret. “Michael Jackson always wanted to do these operations in a clandestine manner. They were done in the evenings." The source acknowledged that eventually, the 'Smooth Criminal's' face shrunk as a result of the constant cosmetic procedures. “His nose became so small because he was operated on repeatedly. He has barely anything left for a nose.”

Dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein revealed that he rebuilt Jackson's nose using hyaluronic acid fillers. Klein also explained that as age progressed it became difficult to treat Jackson's vitiligo, especially on his face and hands. The expert went on to disclose that the 'You Are Not Alone' singer had to take refuge in heavy makeup to conceal his deformities while appearing in public or performing on stage. "He would have to wear heavy, heavy makeup on stage, which would be ridiculous. And he couldn’t really go out in public without looking terribly peculiar," he concluded.