Arnold Klein, Dermatologist Who Smoothed Stars’ Wrinkles, Dies at 70 – The New York Times

Dr. Klein treated Mr. Jackson for more than 25 years and called him “my best friend.”

After Mr. Jackson told Oprah Winfrey in a television interview in 1993 that his light skin resulted not from intentional bleaching but from vitiligo, a rare disease that discolors the face and body, he had Dr. Klein confirm the diagnosis in a statement to the news media.

Debbie Rowe, a nurse who worked for Dr. Klein, married Mr. Jackson and had two of his three children, Prince and Paris, before the couple divorced. Dr. Klein dismissed news reports alleging that he had fathered the children through a sperm donation.

When Mr. Jackson died of drug-related causes in 2009, federal drug agents investigating his prescriptions cleared Dr. Klein of wrongdoing.

Another doctor, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Dr. Murray’s defense had sought to involve Dr. Klein in the trial, claiming that he had contributed to Mr. Jackson’s addiction to a medication, Demerol, that had not been found in the singer’s body. Demerol is used for pain relief during medical procedures.

Dr. Klein’s lawyer denied that Mr. Jackson had been addicted to Demerol. The judge ruled that Dr. Klein’s testimony would not be relevant to the case.