Dr. Sandra Lee, the viral dermatologist and star of Lifetime's reality series "Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out," suffered an ischemic stroke last November while working at her Upland, California, practice. An ordeal she is now publicly disclosing for the first time.
The symptoms worsened that evening at her parents' home nearby. Lee said she experienced shooting pains in one leg, was unable to sleep, and struggled to walk downstairs. By morning, the warning signs were evident—weakness on her left side, difficulty with hand control, and trouble speaking. "I thought, 'Am I having a stroke?'" she recalled.
"It was just a shock," Lee said. "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?' More like a living nightmare. What essentially happened is I had a part of my brain that died."
Lee's neurologist, Dr. May Kim-Tenser of USC's Keck School of Medicine, told the magazine high blood pressure is the No. 1 risk factor for stroke, and noted doctors are currently seeing "almost a 15 percent increase in stroke prevalence among patients that are age 45 up to 64.”
Lee acknowledged her own health had been a contributing factor. "My blood pressure and my cholesterol were not under control, and I have a lot of stress in my life, dealing with my patients and the show," she said. Both high blood pressure and high cholesterol are among the leading risk factors for ischemic stroke.
Lee immediately stopped filming and spent two months in physical and occupational therapy to relearn balance and basic movement. She was particularly worried about her hands—essential tools for a surgeon who performs intricate procedures on camera.
"I don't like that I don't have total control of my left hand or the grip wasn't as strong. If I feel like I'm not at my best — it's very scary," she said. Her neurologist offered a more optimistic assessment: "She's lucky. Her symptoms are pretty much resolved."
Lee returned to work in January, though she described the transition as emotionally difficult. "There's a lot of PTSD because it happened while I was filming the show," she said.
With support from her staff and a former colleague who helped manage her patient load, she has largely resumed her practice. "Thankfully, I'm pretty much back to normal," she said. "It really makes you realize how precious life is."
She is currently on blood thinners and continuing physical therapy at home.
Lee said she decided to go public with her experience to combat the stigma that often surrounds strokes, particularly in Asian communities. "In Asian cultures in particular they don't tell people they've had a stroke because it can be seen as a sign of weakness," she said. "I want to get the word out that if you have symptoms like I had, make sure you see your doctor. Take care of yourself."
The Cleveland Clinic recommends using the acronym BE-FAST to recognize stroke warning signs: sudden loss of Balance, changes in Eyes or vision, Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time—calling 911 immediately if any symptoms appear.
Lee's show, "Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out," returns for its second season on Lifetime on April 20.