Scientists have figured out a way to use a drug designed for treating rheumatoid arthritis to restore the skin color in a female patient that was suffering from vitiligo, a common skin condition that results in the loss of pigmentation and results in pale patches.

The finding could totally revolutionize how vitiligo is treated, which can become quite unsightly and is famous for causing the loss of color in the skin of pop superstar Michael Jackson, according to an Economic Times report.

Brett King, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and the principal investigator, said that using the drug tofacitinib removed nearly all of the white spots in the patient’s face and hands, all without any noticeable side effects, according to the report.

It could be a tremendous finding for the millions of people who suffer from the unsightly — albeit it non-life-threatening — condition.

Current vitiligo patients use steroid creams and light therapy, options that are better than nothing but aren’t that consistent in treating the condition.

Instead, researchers tried a different route by administering tofacitinib to a patient at 53 years of age who had lots of white spots on her face and hands. The white spots on her body had been increasing in the years prior to taking the drug, but within two months of treatment, there was a sudden partial repigmentation on her body, particularly the face, arms, and hands. After five months, the white spots were almost entirely gone, which just a few spots remaining on less-visible areas of her body.

Even better, there weren’t any bad side effects, meaning this could be a breakthrough in vitiligo treatment, although further research will be needed to confirm the drug’s safety and effectiveness.

The study was published in the journal JAMA Dermatology.