Dr. Sandra Lee, widely known as Sandra Lee (Dr. Pimple Popper), experienced a stroke while filming in late 2025, a moment she initially mistook for something far less serious.

She was working at her dermatology practice in Upland, California, when she suddenly felt unusual symptoms, including sweating and disorientation that she attributed to a possible hot flash.

Because those symptoms can overlap with menopause, she initially dismissed the warning signs, continuing her day without realizing something more serious was developing.

Later, while at her parents’ home, additional symptoms appeared, including difficulty walking, leg pain, and trouble with coordination.

By the next morning, she experienced clear neurological symptoms such as weakness and difficulty speaking, which raised immediate concern about a possible stroke.

An MRI confirmed she had suffered an ischemic stroke, where blood flow to part of the brain is restricted, leading to brain cell damage.

As a physician herself, she described the experience as shocking and disorienting, especially while recognizing the symptoms in real time.

Following the event, she stepped away from filming and began rehabilitation to recover strength, speech, and motor function, and continues to manage lasting effects from the stroke.