I've got Michael Jackson's skin condition, but now I'm becoming a model

Nile Goodlad, aged 20, from Walsall, has vitiligo a condition that means the skin loses its pigmentation causing white patches on the body.

It began on his arms, legs and chest at the age of nine but as he got older the condition worsened and he has recently developed patches on his face.

As a teenager, Nile tried to cover his patches and often felt self-conscious, but now he feels comfortable in his own skin and has turned to modelling in the hope of showing how important diversity is.

Nile, an animal rescue volunteer, said: "I have finally learnt to love my patchy skin and to be able to show it off to the world is amazing.

"In my early teens I tried to cover up my patches, there was a lot of peer pressure on how you looked and dressed, but now I wouldn't dream of covering myself up.

"At first I felt really sorry for myself, I always felt like saying why me, but now I always say why not me.

"People always ask if I have the same condition as Michael Jackson, and I do get people staring at me in the street, but mostly people are just curious and I am always more than happy to explain what it is."

He added: "I'm lucky, I have never been bullied for being different and growing up in such a diverse area has really helped people accept me for who I am.

"And even if I was bullied I don't think it would have affected me, I have always been outgoing and confident, I have never been afraid to wear what I want.

"I do think that if I had got patches on my face earlier that things could have been different, children can be cruel sometimes, and even though there are camouflage creams available I have never used them. Being different, modelling was not something I had thought about before, I studied animal management at college and my dream had always been to work with animals."

Nile was asked to model after being spotted on Twitter and after doing a few projects he got the attention of modelling agencies.

AMCK Models invited Nile to London for a test shoot and later asked him to sign with them. He has since landed his first modelling job for fashion brand DSTRB.LDN.

Nile added: "I am only human and I do get a little self-conscious sometimes."