They’ve been ridiculed and subjected to frustrating questions, but along the way have become proud ambassadors for their condition. These five celebs have vitiligo, which results in white patches on the skin. Here’s how it has affected them, and how they found the courage to speak up about it. F9’s Jordana Brewster on eating disorders, mental health and Hollywood What is vitiligo? The Mayo Clinic describes vitiligo as a disease that causes loss of skin colour, generally in patches. It says skin colour is determined by melanin, and vitiligo occurs when the cells that produce melanin stop working. Vitiligo is not contagious or life-threatening, but can result in social stigma. What Kim Jong-un’s IWC watch says about his weight Winnie Harlow The model has become known as the modern face of vitiligo. She has proudly embraced the changes in her body, widely quoted as saying that it’s just “another difference, like freckles and big hair”. Harlow, who walked the runway at the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, told Health Insight that although she is in the beauty industry where certain standards are pushed on people, she believes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Harlow found fame after being a finalist on America’s Next Top Model in 2014. In an interview with Fashion Week Daily, the model said that although she is proud to have vitiligo, she didn’t want it to define her. She said she can’t be private about her skin, because it’s on show, but she wanted people to know she is more than that. US$1,700 a night to stay on Larry Ellison’s Hawaiian spa retreat? Michael Jackson Jackson was one of the most iconic entertainers of all time and his every move was scrutinised. Much of the public’s attention was focused on his skin “transformation”, and Vox reports that Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo in 1986. But the diagnosis and Jackson’s silence on the matter resulted in speculation about the change of his skin colour, with producer Quincy Jones even telling Details in 2009 that Jackson did not want to be black, and his skin colour change was actually the result of chemical peels. The change Jackson underwent resulted in much deliberation about his racial identity. In a 1993 interview with Oprah, Jackson denied he was trying to be white and said he had a condition that “destroys the pigmentation of the skin”. Want to WFH from a ski slope? Here’s how Gautam Singhania One of India’s richest men , Singhania has vitiligo and has taken part in initiatives to combat the stigma around it. In 2018, he shared a video in which he said he has lived with vitiligo all his life and, despite being in the public eye, he didn’t have problems with the condition. First things first about #Vitiligo - No, it's not contagious! Here are some of us talking about our lives with #Vitiligo and how YOU can help change the stigma around it. pic.twitter.com/L9XrnuBM7g — Gautam Singhania (@SinghaniaGautam) June 25, 2018 The chairman of the Raymond Group said the challenge is to “win within yourself” referring to the looks people may give because of the white patches. He said he had gone from being completely black to completely white and lived a fulfilled life. Which A-listers are Instagram’s biggest earners of 2021? Jon Hamm The actor, who played Don Draper in Mad Men , said he noticed white blotches on his skin when he first got the role. In an interview with GQ UK, the actor said make-up artists used to cover up the patches before he went on set. He said the condition was triggered by stress. In an interview with Lee Thomas, a broadcaster and motivational speaker who also has vitiligo, Hamm said it wasn’t something that bothered him. Twitter’s Jack Dorsey on dating, diet and divisive politics Joe Rogan The stand-up comedian and UFC commentator has white patches on his hands and feet. He has publicly tried different treatment methods, including going on a 30-day carnivore diet to see what impact it would have on his health in general, and in particular on his vitiligo. He said in his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience , that the diet did help clear up the vitiligo, although there is no scientific evidence to back this up. Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .