Sandra Lee — better known to fans as Dr. Pimple Popper — is opening up about a frightening health scare that unfolded behind the scenes of her hit TV series.
Lee revealed that she suffered a stroke while filming season two of her Lifetime show Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out. The incident happened as she was treating patients at her dermatology practice in Upland, California, when she suddenly realized something was wrong.
Dr. Lee is a board-certified dermatologist who rose to global fame by sharing videos of blackhead extractions, cyst removals and other skin procedures online. Her oddly satisfying clips went viral, earning her millions of followers and turning her into a household name — and eventually leading to multiple television series.
Her show Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out follows Lee as she helps patients with severe or rare skin conditions that often impact their confidence and quality of life. Beyond the procedures themselves, the series highlights the emotional journeys of her patients and the relief they feel after treatment.
During an interview with People, the 55-year-old doctor described the moment she realized something was wrong: “It happened while I was filming the show. I had what I thought was a hot flash. I got super sweaty and didn’t feel like myself.”
After returning home that evening, the influencer recalled feeling “very restless” and experiencing “shooting pains” in one of her legs. She also noticed she was having trouble walking down the stairs.
By the next morning, the condition had affected the entire left side of her body.
“I would hold my hand out, and it would just slowly collapse,” Lee recalled. “I noticed that I had a tough time articulating and just enunciating. I thought, ‘Am I having a stroke?’”
During a visit to the emergency room, an MRI confirmed that she had suffered an ischemic stroke — a condition that occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“It was just a shock,” Sandra Lee — who shares two sons with her husband, Jeffrey Rebish — said. “As a physician, I couldn’t deny that I had slurred speech and weakness on one side, but I kept thinking, ‘This is a dream, right?’”
She went on to explain the severity of what happened: “Essentially, a part of my brain died.”
Lee, who first gained widespread attention on social media for her viral videos treating patients’ skin conditions, immediately paused filming and spent the next two months focused on recovery, working to regain her strength and mobility.
“I don’t like that I don’t have total control of my left hand, or that my grip isn’t as strong,” she admitted. “If I feel like I’m not at my best, it’s very scary.”
She also noted that she continues to experience a slight slur in her speech.
Looking back, Sandra Lee said the warning signs were clear. She admitted her blood pressure and cholesterol were not under control, and that ongoing stress from her work and TV show likely played a role.
Despite the scare, she now views the experience as a “blessing in disguise,” saying it pushed her to take her health more seriously.
Lee added that she is “pretty much back to normal,” though she remains on blood thinners and continues physical therapy at home — a recovery that has left her with a deeper appreciation for life.