Is Bruno Mars Skin-Bleaching To Emulate Michael Jackson? One Doctor Says Yes
Is pop star Bruno Mars undergoing skin bleaching treatments in an effort to emulate his music idol, Michael Jackson? One dermatologist in Los Angeles alleges Mars visited his office recently in search of whiter skin, and is willing to pay millions to have it done professionally. Dr. Francis P. Whitemore, who owns a popular dermatology office in Beverly Hills, claims he was approached in late December by one of Marsâ personal assistants, who scheduled the pop singer for an appointment on Sunday. Whitemore claims he met with Mars and discussed his options, but Mars decided to go with a different dermatology specialist in San Diego. âHe was acting erratic, or at least I thought it was erratic,â Whitemore claims. âHe was asking about nose jobs. I told him weâre a dermatology office, and had to explain what we did. Thatâs when he started telling me he wanted to be `more like Mike,â and said he wanted me to make his skin whiter, from head to toe.â Whitemore says he discussed several options with Mars, and came up with a âcombination solutionâ that included hydroquinone treatments, alpha hydroxy acid peels, cryosurgery, and various dipigmenting agents. Whitemore priced the full package at $1.8 million, and told Mars it would take him âat least a full yearâ to be finished with the full process, to which Mars allegedly claimed he was ready to start. âHe said he trusted me because my name is `Whitemore,â and he believed that meant I could make him `more white,'â Whitemore added. âI told him I could help him, but I felt ethically obligated, based on his behavior, to talk to his handlers about it. They told me off, so I figured I would go to the press and get his fans to help him.â Whitemore says Mars was supposed to return on Monday for another meeting, but on Tuesday, according to Whitemore, Mars met with a different dermatologist in San Diego. âHeâs an old friend of mine, from college. He heard [Mars] came to speak with me, and he wanted to consult with me about the options I had offered him. So Iâm not sure if [Mars] is going with my office or with my colleagueâs. After talking to the press, though, Iâm guessing he wonât be visiting with me again.â Skin whitening isnât something Whitemore often deals with. âI work with a lot of celebrities. They often need acne treatments, or help dealing with a rash or a bruise. Sammy Sosa is the only other celebrity to come to me for skin whitening treatments.â Bruno Marsâ talent agency refused to comment on the story, saying they didnât âkeep up with the day-to-day routines of each and every client.â They did, however, defend Bruno Mars. âIf heâs doing it, and Iâm not saying he is, but thatâs his business,â one agency employee told us over the phone. âIâm sure he has his reasons, and whatever they are, thatâs for him and him alone.â