Dr. Pimple Popper

Dr. Pimple Popper is a reality television series that started in the year 2018, airing on the TLC network. The show centralizes on the life and practice of Dr. Sandra Lee, a California-based dermatologist who has gained an extensive following online for her satisfying and somewhat addictive pimple popping videos.

Dr. Sandra Lee, aptly named Dr. Pimple Popper, has devoted her career to improving people's skin health and helping them to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin, despite any dermatological challenges they may have. She executes all forms of zit-popping, cyst-extracting, and pore-cleansing on various kinds of patients, with a wide range of skin disorders. Not only does she offer immediate solutions, but she also provides her patients with the right medical advice to prevent recurring skin problems.

The idea behind the television show arose from the overwhelming online response to Dr. Lee’s pimple-popping clips on YouTube and Instagram. These videos attracted a niche audience who found the controlled and methodical extraction of blemishes, lumps, swellings and other skin abnormalities oddly satisfying and some even claimed it to be therapeutic, hence, coining themselves as 'Popaholics'. Seeing potential, TLC network capitalized on this fascination by turning the now-viral videos into a reality television show.

Every episode of the Dr. Pimple Popper show typically concentrates on different patients that consult Dr. Lee each with distinct dermatological anomalies. From cysts as large as onions lodged under the skin, seriously inflated blackheads, troubling lipomas to more rare, life-altering conditions, the show has a lot to fascinate viewers with. It is an unobstructed insight into the vast spectrum of skin-related medical problems that internet enthusiasts would never have known existed - let alone see treated - if not for Dr. Lee's educational yet sensational style of content. There are, of course, unique lighter moments too, where Dr. Lee chats humorously with her patients, getting to know them while cleaning their skin, making the atmosphere of her clinic more warm and inviting.

Despite the gruesome nature of her business, Dr. Pimple Popper has an incredibly empathetic and human centric side. What sets apart this series from most of the reality shows is that it surprisingly has a distinct emotional component in almost every episode. It often features moving and inspiring journeys of patients who have been suffering from self-esteem issues because of their skin conditions and how their life changes positively after meeting Dr. Lee. It highlights the fact that appearance-related anxieties can be attributed to something as neglectable as a strawberry-sized cyst on the forehead, or numerous small, stubborn whiteheads crowded on the nose, that most fail to understand the gravity of.

As per its name, the show isn't for the faint-hearted as it provides detailed, up-close views of procedures that many may find somewhat disturbing, yet weirdly satisfying. Although it caters to a specific taste, it has been a television hit, gaining a large and dedicated following, so much so, that the pilot season was soon followed by subsequent series that still air to date.

Another intriguing aspect of the show is how Dr. Lee skillfully blends a gentle approach concerning her patients, while remaining almost clinical about removing their skin issues like it's a walk in the park. Watching her so comfortable around all forms of skin ailments, speaking to her patients about it so honestly but with a pure sense of normalcy; indeed, will make viewers ponder - most physical imperfections are merely trivial, and nothing to be embarrassed or overly conscious about.

Dr. Pimple Popper might not be everybody's cup of tea, but it serves its purpose for those looking for a medical reality series that pitches just the right amount of gross, a bit of awe, patches of empathy, and lots of skin-transforming satisfaction. If you're interested in skin conditions, their treatments, or are just curious about the variety of problems people experience with their skin, Dr. Pimple Popper is just the show for you.