Disturbing details from Michael Jackson's autopsy have laid bare the true state of his body beneath the makeup, wigs and prosthetics. The singer, who died at age 50 in June 2009 from an overdose of the surgical anaesthetic propofol, was found to weigh just 8st 10lbs—far below the average US male weight of 14st 4lbs. His stomach contained only partially dissolved pills, as he reportedly survived on one tiny meal a day.
The full toxicology report revealed a combination of propofol and benzodiazepines led to his fatal cardiac arrest. Jackson's arms, hips, thighs and shoulders were covered in puncture marks from injections used to combat chronic insomnia and pain. The autopsy also uncovered numerous cosmetic surgery scars, including behind his ears and on his nostrils, as well as tattoos on his lips, eyebrows and scalp.
His hair was found to be a wig glued onto a bald head with only patches of 'peach fuzz' on a scarred scalp. The wig was likely a result of a 1984 Pepsi commercial accident where his hair caught fire, causing second and third degree burns. This incident is believed to have started his addiction to prescription painkillers.
The autopsy confirmed Jackson's long-rumoured skin condition, vitiligo, with his body showing mottled areas of light and dark skin. Dr Christopher Rogers, who oversaw the autopsy, noted that some areas of skin appeared light and others dark. Chest bruising indicated a desperate struggle to save Jackson after he was found unconscious at home.
