There has been much discussion in the public domain about the physical appearance of incarcerated dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel, with some fans expressing concerns about the entertainer’s health after he shared recent photos of him reuniting with family members after some six years.

Vybz Kartel shared several photos on his Instagram page over the weekend of him reuniting with his sons, grandson, fiancée, and daughter-in-law at a recent family day at a local prison.

“Words can’t explain how I feel in this picture. It’s just a speechless feeling” said the Summertime singer while he held his grandson. But what seemed to be a proud moment for the entertainer as he reunited with loved ones turned into a tongue-wagging episode for others on social media as they speculated about his physical appearance.

“What dem ah feed uno inna di facility, pure starch,” said one person on Instagram under a captioned post by the Colouring Book singer.

“Noh love how mi artist look yow, Jah know, noh look good at all,” another fan said.

News broke of Vybz Kartel’s medical condition earlier this year after Fox 5 News reporter Lisa Evers obtained a sworn medical affidavit from the entertainer’s private doctor who revealed that he had Graves disease and a heart condition that were getting worse and could be fatal if surgery is not done.

While it is not clear how common Grave’s disease is in Jamaica, it is a fairly common disease worldwide. Graves disease affect one in 200 people in the United States, for example, including celebrities.

American media personality Wendy Williams, American rapper Missy Elliot, and American sprinter Gail Devers are among the list of famous Americans living with the autoimmune disease.

Graves disease is defined as an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones, otherwise known as hyperthyroidism.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Graves disease may affect anyone but is more common among women and in people younger than age 40.

It is caused by a malfunction in the body’s disease-fighting immune system, where the immune system attacks healthy tissues.

Some 30 per cent of individuals living with Grave’s disease show signs and symptoms of Graves ophthalmopathy, which is inflammation and other immune system events that affect muscles and other tissues around the eyes.

Symptoms of the autoimmune disease include bulging eyes, gritty sensation in the eyes, pressure or pain in the eyes, puffy or retracted eyelids, enlargement of the thyroid gland, frequent bowel movements, erectile dysfunction, among others.

While anyone can develop the disease, family history, sex, age, smoking, pregnancy, and emotional or physical stress are all risks for persons developing the disease.

Graves disease is a treatable medical condition. Treatment includes thyroid surgery, anti-thyroid medication, or radioactive iodine therapy.