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The Vamps guitarist James Brittain-McVey diagnosed with vitiligo: ‘Trying to hide would be letting it win’-Robert Oliver and Alicia Adejobi-Entertainment – Metro
Other stars with the skin condition include Winnie Harlow and the late Michael Jackson.
James was recently diagnosed with vitiligo (Picture: Rex / Instagram @jamesmcvey)
The Vamps guitarist James Brittain-McVey has revealed he’s been diagnosed with vitiligo, a skin condition that causes pigment loss.
Former I’m A Celebrity star James, 29, posted a ‘life update’ video on Instagram, giving an account of his health battle, admitting that he is ‘gutted’.
‘In the last few weeks I have been diagnosed with vitiligo which I hadn’t heard of before either,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t going to say anything, but I figured that trying to avoid it or hide from it would be like letting it win,’ he added.
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, however, some scientists believe that certain people are more genetically susceptible to the condition due to certain environmental factors.
The NHS describes it as a ‘long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin’ and that ‘it’s caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in the skin.’
It can affect any area of the skin, but it’s more commonly seen on the face, neck and hands, as well as in skin creases.
James, who has spoken out in the past about his battles with eating disorders and his body image, continued to update and educate fans throughout the video on what it’s like to live with the condition.
‘You can see it’s starting [on my chin]. After 18 years of dealing with acne and various different drugs for that, I finally get to a place where it was starting to leave me alone. [Then] along comes vitiligo.’
The pop star has also battled with acne for 18 years (Picture: Instagram, @jamesmcvey)
The singer refuses to hide from his skin condition (Picture: Getty Images)
James is a member of The Vamps alongside Tristan Evans, Bradley Simpson and Connor Ball (Picture: WireImage)
Model Winnie Harlow is among the stars who has vitiligo (Picture: Rex Features)
James also pointed out that he is not the only famous face with the condition, adding of supermodel Winnie Harlow: ‘You may have seen [her] vitiligo before.’
The late Michael Jackson was another famous sufferer of vitiligo, and he was famously known for using make-up to even out the colour of his skin.
The Can We Dance performer has assured his followers, however, that the condition is neither painful nor contagious.
‘Luckily, it doesn’t cause me any pain,’ he said. ‘It’s not contagious and it’s not linked to cancer. But I wanted to hit it head on at this stage and be transparent.’
More: The Vamps
The guitarist, who achieved five top 10 hits with The Vamps, also took some time out to tease fans with an update on the band’s latest movements.
‘There a few things with The Vamps coming up – and I effectively wanted to let people know who think my face is changing colour, it’s not a dodgy fake tan. It’s vitiligo.’
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