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If you don't already know Dr. Sandra Lee, a.k.a. "Dr. Pimple Popper," you for sure know her videos—those kinda gross but oddly satisfying, up-close-and-personal clips of clients' pores as the doc extracts pimples, cysts, bumps and the epidermal like. Those videos have garnered the doc a massive online presence, with nearly 9 million YouTube subscribers and over 6.4 billion total video views, plus nearly 17 million followers over on TikTok and another five million on Instagram.
The slightly masochistic but simultaneously relieving phenomenon of her videos has extended her reach to television, including a Lifetime reality series Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out, which sees the world-famous dermatological surgeon navigate everything from everyday skin problems to life-affecting dermatological issues. This month, Lifetime officially greenlit a 20-episode second season of the popular program, with Dr. Lee returning for even more pimple-popping hijinks.
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Ahead of the new episodes (premiere date is still TBD), Time Out chatted with the dermatologist and founder of SLMD Skincare about exactly what New York City is doing to our skin, where she likes to go when she's not popping zits, and which famous New York face we should all be thirsting over.
People might not know this but you're a native New Yorker!
I was born in Flushing, Queens. My father did his dermatology residency training at SUNY Brooklyn, which is why I was born and initially raised in Queens and then Staten Island. We moved across the country to California when I was five years old, but I still consider myself a New Yorker in some ways, because my husband (also a dermatologist) is from Westchester County. I lived in Manhattan for almost two years in my 20s and, of course, I loved it.
So, there is definitely New York in me! There is an energy from living in New York, which is unmatched. It’s gritty, it’s tense but it's exciting, unpredictable. It has been my home in the past and it always holds a special place in my heart.
Speaking of, this city can be rough on the skin. What should New Yorkers be most concerned about skin-wise?
In New York, you have to be especially cognizant of “outside” factors that can affect our skin that can cause premature aging— besides sun, this includes pollution and stress. I always carry my SLMD Salicylic Acid Body Spray in my purse when out and about in New York to help combat pollution in the city. It's especially useful after a sweaty subway ride: Simply spray it onto areas that might be prone to breakouts to help stop the buildup of dirt, oil and debris that can lead to acne.
I think, of course, New Yorkers care about their appearance but also just as much of their chutzpah, if you know what I mean—your personality and attitude is just as important as your physical appearance!
So tell me, when you're not fixing people's faces, where do you like spending time in NYC?
When not thinking about skin and my patients, I enjoy going out to fabulous dinners in New York. When I say "fabulous," I don’t mean that they're always fabulously expensive. [It can range from] a great hole in the wall dumpling shop in Chinatown, to the fancy and decadent Cote Korean Steakhouse, to our good ole regulars like Houston's and the corner diner. I love that literally everything is at your fingertips. You want something really random? It's probably just a couple blocks down or a subway ride away.
Since I’ve moved away, there have been newer buildings and attractions like the High Line and the Vessel in Hudson Yards — I love to explore areas that were not here when I lived in NYC in the late '90s. But I also love the tried and true: I’ve recently gone up to the highest part of the Empire State Building, which was so awesome! And Central Park, obviously.
Spill: Which famous New Yorkers do you think have the best skin?
Hmm, famous New Yorkers that have great skin. Ashley Graham comes to mind, as well as Scarlett Johannson and Iman. As graceful and dignified and badass as they all are, they are also so beautiful on the outside!
Let's talk zits. Your videos have captivated social media for years—are you ever surprised by people's fascination with "grossness"?
I was initially shocked. I had no idea that this was a thing when it first started, but looking back, I should have recognized it earlier, as I had a medical assistant early on (before Dr. Pimple Popper) who helped me with an inflamed cyst and I remember laughing and being shocked because she practically pushed me aside to do the squeezing instead of just assisting in the procedure. She was positively giddy afterward and called her mom to tell her what an amazing case we just did.
Is it weird that I love “converting” people into popaholics? I once had a woman with steatocystomas, these small oil-filled cysts that when you squeeze them, out comes little ribbons of “butter.” She brought her sister with her to our office, who said, “Oh this is gonna be gross,” but by the end of the visit, she was fascinated and obsessed. It’s interesting to see someone really get interested in the science and medicine around a pop right in front of your eyes.
Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out is coming back for a second season. What can you tease fans about the new episodes?
We are introducing new proteges, young and upcoming dermatologists, and even medical students who really want to be dermatologists. You'll get to see from their perspectives what it’s like to be a dermatologist, and for young dermatologists, what it’s like to be a derm surgeon and do large complicated surgical cases. They're all breaths of fresh air and even help me to get a new fresh perspective of what I do. Dermatology is not just about “popping pimples”—we do so much more.