Dr. Pimple Popper, renowned for her intricate work in the field of dermatology, has recently shared a harrowing health experience that has touched the hearts of her millions of fans. In an interview with People published on April 14th, the 55-year-old dermatologist revealed that she suffered a stroke while filming the second season of her Lifetime show, Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out.
As she recounted the moment her health took a drastic turn, Dr. Sandra Lee described feeling what she initially mistook for a hot flash. "I got super sweaty and didn't feel like myself," she said. That evening, after returning home, the influencer noticed that she was "very restless" and experiencing "shooting pains" in one of her legs. She also noticed difficulty walking down stairs and a gradual weakness in her left side.
The next morning, Sandra's left side was severely affected by the stroke. "I would hold my hand out, and it would just slowly collapse," she explained. "I noticed that I had trouble articulating and enunciating, and I thought, 'Am I having a stroke?'"
An MRI at the Emergency Room confirmed that Sandra had suffered an ischemic stroke, which occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or reduced, preventing it from receiving necessary oxygen and nutrients. "It was just a shock," she said. "As a physician, I couldn't deny that I had slurred speech and weakness on one side, but I thought it was just a dream."
"What essentially happened," she added, "is I had a part of my brain that died." Sandra immediately halted filming and spent the next two months in recovery to regain her mobility. "I don't like that I don't have total control of my left hand or that the grip isn't as strong," she said. "If I feel like I'm not at my best—it's very scary."
Despite the setback, Sandra is grateful for the experience as it served as a reminder to take better care of herself. "My blood pressure and cholesterol were not under control, and I had a lot of stress in my life dealing with my patients and the show," she said. "I want to think about it as a blessing in disguise because it reminds you to take better care of yourself."
"Thankfully, I'm pretty much back to normal," Sandra added, noting that she is still on blood thinners and continues to do physical therapy at home. "It really makes you realize how precious life is."
