Dr Sandra Lee, the dermatologist who became a global sensation as Dr Pimple Popper, has revealed she suffered a life-threatening stroke while filming her latest television project, Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out, which premieres on 20 April.
The 55-year-old surgeon disclosed that the medical emergency occurred in November 2025. Lee revealed 'a part of my brain died,' which affected the way she speaks. This revelation has stunned fans of her long-running reality series.
Stroke on Set
In an exclusive interview with People, Lee shared that she suffered an ischaemic stroke, with symptoms she initially dismissed as the onset of menopause. While on set for her new Lifetime series, Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out, Lee experienced what she described as 'hot flashes' and intense sweating.
'I got super sweaty and didn't feel like myself,' Lee recalled. Despite this, she decided to finish filming and went to her parents' home. Lee noted that she experienced restlessness and shooting pains in her leg. She also said that she was unable to sleep and was having a hard time going down the stairs.
By the following morning, the severity of the situation became undeniable. Lee noticed that she could no longer hold her hand steady and struggled to articulate her words.
'I would hold my hand out, and it would just slowly collapse. I noticed that I had a tough time articulating and just enunciating,' she told People. 'I thought, "Am I having a stroke?"'
Her father insisted that she go to the emergency room, and an MRI confirmed the diagnosis of an ischaemic stroke, caused by a blood clot blocking oxygen to the brain. Recalling the harrowing experience, Lee stated, 'What essentially happened is I had a part of my brain that died.'
Production Paused
Lee's health crises forced an immediate suspension of filming Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out. As reported by Variety, the production was paused for two months to allow her recovery. Lee underwent physical and occupational therapy, focusing especially on regaining control of her hands, which are essential to her surgical work.
Lee admitted, 'There's a lot of PTSD because it happened while I was filming the show,' noting that she feared she would not be able to perform all of the surgeries at the same level she did before the stroke.
Recovery and Current Health
After months of recovery, Lee has largely returned to normal but acknowledges lingering effects. 'I notice it right now that I don't speak exactly the way I used to,' she shared, adding, 'You're really embarrassed to speak because you notice it.' She also said that opening up about it was 'very stressful.' As a surgeon, she emphasised that 'you always want to show yourself coming from an area of strength.'
Despite these challenges, Lee has resumed her work and she's 'pretty much back to normal,' though she remains vigilant about her health. She described the stroke as a wake-up call that encouraged her to take better care of herself, prompting her to pay more attention to her blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress management.
