On Nov. 20, 2025, began inexplicably enough – as unremarkable as performing a dramatic skin removal on camera to millions of viewers. Then, Sandra Lee, MD, and the respected dermatologist known as Dr. Pimple Popper, felt his skin become unbearably hot. An electric shock went through his legs. After a restless night, he emerged unable to walk and had limited speech, especially on his left side.
A wave of fear, panic, and anxiety swept over him: “You don’t think about life or death at this age,” Dr. Lee tells Popsugar. “You have children. You want to have grandchildren. You still have a lot of things to do.”
The MRI confirmed that Dr. Lee suffered a stroke. He spent the end of 2025 recovering privately, spending time with family, and reducing his stress. After two months, he realized the best way to recover was to reboot his show, “Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out,” for Lifetime, where he treats patients with unusually large cysts and unique conditions. Although Dr. Lee who does not identify as a “popaholic” – a term used by his fans who get a rush of dopamine released from the skin – works with surgical precision as his patients experience emotional processes that become a source of ASMR for some.
Now, five months later, the doctor shares his vulnerability on camera: “This is a very personal season,” said Dr. Lee. “You’ll see me say, ‘I need help,’ and that’s something I’ve never done.”
Lee doesn’t like the recovery process, which involves physical and occupational therapy, the use of blood thinners, and dealing with fatigue. “It’s tiring when you’re always working and living at a certain level,” said Lee. “Thank you, my left hand is my unruly hand.” Although he is hiding, you can hear his voice break when he speaks. Although she has never tried it before, she is considering talk therapy to help process her feelings. Despite the challenges, he is committed to finding the silver lining. “I think it was a warning sign to take care of myself and slow down and put my life first. It’s not that I’m slowing down and doing nothing. It’s taking things that I really love.” To Dr. Lee, that means investing in his community.
Dr. Lee lights up when discussing the talent and support of his fans and colleagues on the show. “At times when I wasn’t feeling so confident, they helped me get through and take care of patients. I feel really lucky that other people stepped up.” Help came in the form of dermatologist and roommate Kristen Townley, MD, who marveled at the value of their work. Many of their patients look to Dr. Pimple Popper and the team as their last hope. “It’s very stressful, you start to get overwhelmed by the intensity. But Dr. Townley made me realize that what we do is special and changes people’s lives.”
Lee is also inspired to spread awareness about stroke, encouraging others to make their life years even if they don’t look or feel it, thanks to biohacking, peptide therapy, and beauty interventions.
“We all look younger,” says the founder of acne-targeted skincare line SLMD. Many of us still think we are young. But you have to admit that you are growing up and you need to get help and get tested. We all think we’re killing time, but you only have one brain.”
Even being young doesn’t prevent you from having a stroke: statistics show both an overall increase in strokes and a nearly 15 percent increase in young people who have strokes, due to factors such as stress, anger, and obesity. Dr. Lee urges people to familiarize themselves with stroke risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stress) and open a dialogue with friends and family members. His father, who is also a dermatologist, suffered a stroke at the age of 60 and went to work the next day. “I think there’s a stigma especially in Asian families where you don’t want to admit or talk about what happened,” said Dr. Lee.
The focus of Dr. Lee’s mentoring of the next generation of dermatologists extends beyond his team. He recently joined the board of the American Academy of Dermatologists to help micro-organisms navigate the stressful medical system. He is also aware of the pressure of celebrity on social media, which is a way that his 4.6 million followers can be inspired. “Talking about skin care on social media is a small part of dermatology. I want to help dermatologists enjoy what they do and not burn out too quickly,” said Dr. Lee. Ultimately, he wants young dermatologists to have a career like his or his father’s. “Our patients give us more than we give them,” said Dr. Lee. “My patients have taught me that there are so many different things you can be in this world because of what happened to you. And they are right. I never knew I would be Dr. Pimple Popper.”
The second season of “Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out” premieres Monday, April 20, on Lifetime.
Alana Peden is an award-winning storyteller, strategist, and brand creator. He cut his teeth in print (at magazines like InStyle and others) before holding senior digital positions (at Penske Media Corporation and Bustle Digital Group). In 2017, she conceived and launched the fashion and beauty magazine Elite Daily. Most recently, he served as a senior editor at StyleCaster.
