Sandra Lee, the dermatologist who is known as “Dr. Pimple Popper,” said she suffered a stroke on the set of her reality television series in November.
Lee, 55, spoke about her medical issues during an interview with People. The star of the Lifetime series, “Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out,” which premieres on April 20, told the publication that she thought she was experiencing “hot flashes” during filming.
“I got super sweaty and didn’t feel like myself,” she told People.
Dr. Pimple Popper Sandra Lee Reveals She Had a Stroke While Filming New Season: 'A Part of My Brain Died' (Exclusive) https://t.co/2Tci0K7wWw
— People (@people) April 14, 2026
After finishing production for the day, Lee said she went to her parents’ home, Variety reported. But instead of getting better, Lee said her condition began to get worse.
“I just felt very restless,” she said. “In one leg I kept feeling shooting pains.
“I noticed that I was having a tough time walking down the stairs.”
The next day, Lee realized something was seriously wrong with the left side of her body, People reported.
“I would hold my hand out, and it would just slowly collapse,” she said. “I noticed that I had a tough time articulating and just enunciating. I thought, ‘Am I having a stroke?’”
It was.
An MRI after visiting an emergency room revealed that Lee suffered an ischemic stroke. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the condition occurs when blood vessels supplying the brain are blocked, depriving cells of critical oxygen and nutrients.
“It was just a shock,” Lee told People. “As a physician I couldn’t deny that I had slurred speech, that I was having weakness on one side, but I was like, ‘Well, this is a dream, right?’
“What essentially happened is I had a part of my brain that died.”
Lee halted filming the series and spent the next two months in recovery, according to the publication. She underwent physical and occupational therapy to regain her balance and movement.
“I don’t like that I don’t have total control of my left hand or the grip wasn’t as strong,” Lee told People. “If I feel like I’m not at my best — it’s very scary.”
Lee’s neurologist, May Kim-Tenser, of USC’s Keck Medical School, said that her patient was lucky.
“Her symptoms are pretty much resolved,” she told People.
In addition to her latest show, which begins its second season, Lee also appeared in 93 episodes of “Dr. Pimple” from 20158 to 2023, according to IMDb.com.
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