Dr. Pimple Popper on Finding the Strength to Start Again

Nov. 20, 2025, began inconspicuously enough — as inconspicuous as performing dramatic skin extractions on camera for millions of viewers can be. Then, Sandra Lee, MD, and revered dermatologist known as Dr. Pimple Popper, felt her skin become unbearably hot. Electric shocks pulsed through her legs. After a restless night, she emerged with limited mobility and speech, especially on her left side.

A wave of fear, panic, and anxiety washed over her: "You don't think about life or death at this age," Dr. Lee tells Popsugar. "You have kids. You want to have grandkids. You have so many more things to do."

An MRI confirmed Dr. Lee had suffered a stroke. She spent the end of 2025 privately recovering, spending time with family, and reducing her stress. After two months, she realized the best way for her to heal was to resume her show, Lifetime's "Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out," where she treats patients with extraordinarily large cysts and unique circumstances. Although Dr. Lee does not identify as a "popaholic" — the term used for her fans who experience a dopamine rush from skin extractions — she operates with surgical precision as her patients undergo emotionally charged procedures that become a source of ASMR for others.

Now, five months later, the doctor is sharing her own vulnerability on camera: "This is the most personal season," says Dr. Lee. "You're going to see me saying, 'I need some help,' and that's something that I've never had to do."

Lee doesn't sugarcoat the recovery process, which involves physical and occupational therapy, the use of blood thinners, and dealing with fatigue. "It's frustrating when you've always worked and lived at a certain level," says Lee. "Thankfully, my left hand is my non-dominant hand." Though subtle, she feels her voice halt when speaking. While she's never tried it before, she's considering talk therapy to help process her emotions. Despite the challenges, she's committed to finding the silver lining. "I think that it was a warning sign to take care of myself and to slow down and prioritize my life. It's not that I'm slowing down and doing nothing. It's taking on the things that I really love." For Dr. Lee, that translates into investing in her community.

Dr. Lee lights up when discussing the skill and support of her protégés and colleagues on the show. "During times when I didn't feel so confident, they helped me to get through and take care of patients. I feel really lucky that other people stepped up to the plate." Assistance arrived in the form of fellow dermatologist and former co-resident Kristen Townley, MD, who marveled at their work's significance. Many of their patients view Dr. Pimple Popper and team as their last hope. "It's so stressful, you start to get bogged down by the intensity of it. But Dr. Townley made me realize what we do is special and changing people's lives."

Lee is also galvanized to spread stroke awareness, urging others to act their biological age even if they don't look or feel it, thanks to biohacking, peptide therapy, and aesthetic interventions.

"We're all looking younger," says the founder of acne-targeting skin-care line SLMD. Many of us still think that we're young. But you do have to admit that you're getting older and that you need to actually get help and be evaluated. We all think we're beating time, but you only have one brain."

Even youth doesn't preclude you from having a stroke: statistics demonstrate both an overall increase in stroke occurrence and a nearly 15 percent uptick in younger people having strokes, due to factors like stress, vaping, and obesity. Dr. Lee urges people to familiarize themselves with stroke risk factors (hypertension, high cholesterol, and stress) and open a dialogue with friends and family members. Her father, who is also a dermatologist, had a stroke at 60 and went to work the next day. "I think there's especially a stigma amongst Asian families where you don't want to admit or talk about what happened," says Dr. Lee.

Dr. Lee's focus on mentoring the next generation of dermatologists extends beyond her own team. She recently joined the board of the American Academy of Dermatologists to help younger derms navigate a stifling medical system. She's also cautious about the pressure of social media stardom, a path that may be inspired by her 4.6 million followers. "Talking about skin care on social media is such a small part of dermatology. I want to help dermatologists enjoy what they do and not get burned out too soon," says Dr. Lee. Ultimately, she wants young dermatologists to have a career like hers or her father's. "Our patients give to us as much as we give to them," says Dr. Lee. "My patients have taught me there are so many different things you can become in this world because of what happens to you. And they're right. I never knew that I was going to become Dr. Pimple Popper."

The second season of "Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out" premieres on Monday, April 20, on Lifetime.