Episode 6: Popaholics Anonymous with Dr. Sandra Lee

who cares. When you've got Dr pimple popper on say that three times your life is complete. You and I are going to have a field day with all the questions we can ask her. Dr Sandra Lee joins us in just a little bit. This was one when you and I first talked about popping pimples that I wanted to do right away. I feel like she is my soul mate. I feel like she is my spirit animal. I feel like she is my person. I like to think sometimes I'm a certified dermatologist. As I tell my

husband all the time. I brought the tools which consist of Q tips and and that thing that with the circle that you mashed down the I just hit my microphone. I was so excited the stories about acne and I wasn't bad when I was a kid, but now that you're on air. I always say all the time, I wouldn't care about all of this if I wasn't on air, But when you have to deal with this and be in front of athletes that are looking at it, your entire crew, it's a situation. You've got your stories about

it too. Stories. I've had to deal with this since I was thirteen years old. So again, my mom, sweet Kathy Thompson, as I was in the bathroom crying and I was taking her sewing needles or safety pins and trying to like pop my zips and then not like pretending like I was sick because I didn't want to go to school because I was so embarrassed. And I've been on accutane four times. I've dealt with this for so long that now it's become comedy. But it wasn't

always like that. And I know, you know, we like to self deprecate in a lot of ways, and you know, just call attention to what is. But as a kid, it was really traumatizing. To always break out, and I think that I really really empathize with anybody that has, you know, active breakouts like cystic acne, chronic acne, all the things. And so I'm really excited to talk to Dr Primple Poppa for a lot of reasons because she has really brought some levity to a situation that can

be sad. I mean for me again speaking from experience, and I've tried it all, um, so I'm excited to hear and learn more about skincare. And as I get older, I think that, you know, I spend all this money on products thinking it's going to like help the situation. So I want to get all the advice I can from her. And I know that I've like scarred up my skin over all the years from trying to popsits myself. Again. This lighter right here sterilizes needles. Always sterilizing your needles.

I've never tried that. I've done everything. So look, we travel for you know living. You you know have been in and out of these great hotel rooms and some of the worst things I always find. I get these monsters. I'm a tea zone kind of gal, but I get the puppies on my chin. Explain what the tea zone is for people that TI how how um I get the T zone? One? So right here in my forehead, not so much down along my nose, these ones right here inside. Oh my god, Aaron, for those of you

that are listening, she's pointing, I'm sorry underneath her nostrils. Yeah. And then really it's my chin that's the problem area. I have three or four places where it's a recurring situation, and it is like clockwork. You tell me we've got the super Bowl, you tell me we have NFC Championship. Didn't get one this time, just any big game, and the worst is I mean, I could go on and on. You get to site, No, let's just start over. You get to say it's two days before and you're like,

all right, this could be something. Let's see when this come into a head start the heat. Yes, I start getting like mental. I'm like, if I start thinking good thoughts, it's gonna go away. It's not going to be that big when I'm doing this monster matchup, it's gonna be fine. You get there. I'm the purse in that. I make sure every single person on my crew knows, hey, what's up? Nothing I'll tell you what's up. Is the skin on my chin. It's so raised I have a heartbeat. Can

you see it? Can? I let everyone know from Joe Troy, But the biggest person I let know, Rich Russo, God love him. Our director. I let him know. No close ups from that angle. I always hold the mic. I'm holding it right now for all our friends on YouTube to cover it so I could have a monster on my chin. There's the mic. Well, everybody, great matchup today. This is a great point to interject for all of

you guys that are listening. All of you guys, I hope there's a lot of you, um, but for those of you that are aspiring broadcasters and maybe listen to us for some advice. What we're telling you is we have acne and ensure that you are best friends and you should be nice to everyone on your crew always because trust me, everyone talks. Reputations are the only thing

you have. So be kind to everyone. That said really be kind to the director and the lighting person because they are your best friend and they will a view if they can. Okay, go, So I mean again, like I said, I let everybody know, I'm again. We have to back when COVID wasn't happening. Go up and see these athletes. The worst is when you get them right before I sit down interview. So I'm usually the one that I'll try to position the hair if that doesn't work.

I remember doing a Carolina Panthers game and I was talking to our buddy Greg Olsen on the field. It was carolinea Pittsburgh and freaking I had the biggest one on my chin and he was talking to me and I almost stood with like an angle with my back to him but like this, and I was like, so we didn't see it? Yeah, what do you How do you think the offense is going this? You know, my shoulder and he's like trying to turn around and I'm like turning It is so awkward. Um. Yeah, that's why

I always trying to position my bangs on the bangs before. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I cut bangs one time because I was having a full forehead breakout. I'm opposite either get full forehead or I get jawline. And my dermatologists like this is so men, Well you get that because you have high testosterone. Oh no kidding, Oh, you didn't have to tell me that that. Apparently, when you break out on your jawline, it means that you have an excessive amount of testosterone in your system.

Who knew. So those are my issues which are actually easy to cover up because to your point about the hair, you can or I'll do a lot of this sit with my hands on my chin, which on my jawline, which is probably why I'm breaking out. But I cut bangs one time. Okay, I never told this story. And my agent, who's no longer my agent because um he now runs w W E Rich I called ni con crying. Yeah rich, uh not rich Rousso that's different. He's rich you differently in the house. Um, I was working a

hockey gay. I can't remember who well, I mean, I was so traumatized by my acne. I can't remember who the game was. I was on the road in a hotel room. I had went to town the night before, like just thought, like and again, that lighting in the hotel room, it's it's similar to you've talked about the airplane lighting just wants to show you anything and everything. So I went to town thinking like, Okay, I got him right, I got him in. I got it in

to get him. Oh. I always travel with the safety pant. Okay, sometimes you have to ask downstairs for a sewing kit, you know what I mean. Yes, of course I've done that too, but that's what Or I've been really lucky on dry cleaning, the safety pan will be hidden on somewhere, like sure of the pants on there. So yeah, when in doubt that's happened to me in the house before. When I can't find one, and it's like a bobby pin how came Whenever you want to find a safety

pan depoposit you can't find it. You're like, So, I'm in a hotel room. I'm working for versus Big Hockey Gal, and I wake up in the morning and I'm like, oh, there's no way i can go on there. There's no amer Steeler. Oh it's everywhere. It's a lot of talking cheeks, forehead, it's HiT's everywhere. I'm so embarrassed, and now I'm trying. I'm like, I have to make up a story that I got it, I got food poisoning, and I have to get out of here. I can't work this game.

I can't go I can't sit and talk to cute Doc Emeric. I can't do it. I'm so in there I call Nick and at that point, like I told Nick everything, like Nick got me my first divorce lawyer, Like there wasn't anything I didn't tell Nick. But even this, I was going to be like, I can't tell him. I'm calling out sick of this game because I have a full acne breakout. But I did. I was like, I was like, I feel so bad. You've got to

get me out of here. You have to call I don't remember who it was at Versus and get me off this game. So I called in sick because I had a full on meltdown because of my acne. There you go next, I lied to you for the first and last time ever. Yeah, and that's that's sad. I actually feel really not about that. That's not just a big zapper on your chin that you're you know, And I'm gonna tell you why too, Because you had to go and Versus, like you had access, like you always

get better access. That's like way better than any other sport, right, like going on the benches and like standing next to the coach, And I was like, I can't do it. There's no amount of makeup with that fluorescent overhead lighting, and I know it's Okay, you don't have to feel bad for me. I lied. I shouldn't have lied, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. Well. So yeah, I haven't called in sick, but I've had you know,

I've had the moments. I was trying to write them down for you the other day, like in the hotel, we were trying to figure out, like you said, it's great lighting, especially after you've had a few drinks. Are on the road. You're like, I'm a dermatologist. I can handle this. I remember. It wasn't my first All Star game for Fox. It was maybe my second. It was New York. It was great. I had a massive zapper and it was just not getting better. Well, what does

everybody tell you to do? Leave it alone? Don't tell me to leave it alone, because I'm not going to leave it alone, because you know what, before I go to bed, like when someone tells us to relax, I'm not calming down and I'm not leaving my ZiT alone. I think if I could give it one more poke and squeeze, I got it. You just gotta get to the heartbeat. You gotta get there, get the pit out

and roll with it. I can handle the blood. Anyways, I'm on the end of on the National League side, and Matt Harvey I think, started that game, and I was like, I just had this doozy yep and the makeup artist in New York was like, just don't touch it, leave it alone. Well, she just kept putting. We kept putting, like makeup on it. Well, what's that doing. It's just fastering, it's growing, it's getting bigger. It's got a Hartmut Rushmore

white head, all a mode. And so I was like, right before he came out, because you get the player. Right after he comes out, I'm like, you know what, I'm done with this. I'm going So I grabbed my mirror and I'm around other reporters and I was like, I don't care. I just squeeze it really fast. You did it. He comes off the field there like Pete Matchesca God love him. He's got a Jersey accent. Aran, you're ready for mad Hobby. I was like, that's her

producer for Baseball's Dream but Dream. I was like, you know what, I'm gonna need a minute. I think, uh, I think metspr said he needs a minute. Well, we needed a minute because I was having like Jupiter come out of my nose and Saturn's rings. It was just oozing. So I was like, all right, And then I looked at the makeup artist. I'm like, we have to fix this, and she goes, you are bleeding. I can't do anything about it. We got a bleeder. I get really gross.

I've heard to stop bleeding you can sometimes use lip bomb, so I like, literally take like Cherry chapstick and rub it on the wound. Why didn't you tell me? And why Cherry? Why? It's just what I had handy, you know, little chapsticks situation. And I rubbed it on the wound. It was fine. It stopped bleeding. We caked on the we caked on the makeup, and I just did I think. I did the interview, like side profile to Matt Harvey. How did it go? What was it like? Starting in

your you know, team's time and what a mess? Oh my god, you're a better person than I am. You look and pop, that's it and go out and do the interview. I'm calling in sick. Yeah, I mean no, I've done it all I was. I was going down memory lane with the tournament coming on. We did Greg Oden's high school basketball game because obviously he was going to be a big recruit for Ohio State. It was at hinkle Field. I got put with Bill Raftery and j Billis and Sean mcdonnough and I had some monster

on my chin. We went out, We had some cocktails. If anyone knows raft I got back. I had a lot of onions. Send it in Jerome. I had a lot of courage in me. Popped it and then put whitening toothpaste on it. Overnight, woke up with a massive sword on my face. There was no chap stick covering that. I mean, it was just full blown drama, open wound. Pop Pop goes the weasel. The weasel goes pop oh. I actually want to ask Dr Pit Pop Popper that

brings me to thought. I want to ask her where this toothpaste thing came from, because I've tried it so many times and it never works. Our moms, these are incredible stories, the things I learned about you on our podcast, Aaron Stars. They're just like us. I mean, idies and gentlemen all sleep like all think about it, like the needle going in with the quarter zone and like maybe if fine vision it like Gisele bunch In like you know her like thinking things and happiness and all that

kind of stuff. I'm like if I think the needles going in in my sleep, but I'll wake up and it's gone. No still their heartbeat, volcano great, leave it alone when in doubt, leave it a lot thangs. We can never do. Uh. If you like Acnes, this is the podcast episode for you, ladies and gentlemen. I'll never forget. We had a text chains that we're gonna wrap it up and take go to break. But our text chains with Brooklyn Decker, she won't care if we say it

because she doesn't care. You Me and Brooklyn Decker would be on a text chain like comparing notes on MOUSI. That week was bigger. We have plenty more ACNE stories coming up. If you're suffering, suffer no more. We are your friends. Dr Pimple Popper coming up next after the break, Aaron with the mad Harvey story that's unbelievable. Got to get to the pit. You gotta get to the pit and get it out. Strike up, no balls, no shrines. I mean Aaron and I haven't been this excited in

a long time. We Welcome in Dr Sander Lee, one of America's top dermatologists YouTube sensations. You know her as the Dr pimple Popper and Aaron's favorite individual. I cannot tell you, Dr how many videos Aaron's ends of your stuff. Welcome to uh the Calm Down Podcast. Thank you for having me. And I'm so fortunate to have a popoholic and our miss really because we have a connection. Then she yet yet it too. I understand my hairy arms I'm showing right now my goose bumps. Yes, Chris as

she is the original Mr three oh five. She's internationally known as, like you said, Dr pimple Popper, and she has kind of created this cult out there called the Popoholics. And I am I feel like I am I may be the vice president, the president of it. We need a vice president, yes to do I'm like the pride piper of pimples. I feel like, so you know, we'll be like, we'll just spread good cheer everywhere. That's a funny thing to write and many people happy. It's nothing bad,

it's a positive. What's so interesting about that, doctor is I have struggled. I mean, this is not you know tutorial here about my acne. I've had my whole life, but I've always had breakouts. So Aaron and I will exchange pictures back and forth of like the cystic ones, like we rate them. We've got different scales. But I'm gonna be honest with you, Her and I maybe don't go around popping them the right way. I'm like looking for a safety pan. I'm taking a lighter to like

sterilize the end we need. I know, Aaron's cringing. That's a good thing. That's just sterilizing things and not Yeah, that's all you're thinking in the right way. We need all of your help. But let's just first get into the fact of like how did you become Dr pipol Popper. Well, it happened like about five six years ago that I just decided to start on Instagram page just to show

like a little window into my world. You know, it's a super visual field, obviously, and I just thought for some silly, probably stupid reason that people would like to watch, you know, skin diseases next to their travel videos and

their fashion videos or something. So I started posting and just showing a little about my patients in my office and then early on I posted a blackhead extraction video, and I was kind of floored by like the comments people were saying they were sharing it with their friends or they were going, that's so amazing, you know, And I thought, oh my god, this is really weird, Like why are these people all excited? So I just tried to do it again. I did it right away the

next day, and it happened again. And through that I kind of went down this little hole here on the internet and I discovered that there were First I happened upon Reddit, and I discovered that there was like a community of people that just shared popping videos. Yes, did you see any of Aaron and I submissions? Maybe we had some. You might have some in there. You might have to look closely. They might be talking about don't

look too close. But they but they were just sharing these videos and they were videos of like people in their garage or like at the beach, and they had like just there no gloves on, and people towels and beer bottles and barking, and I it was just like I was disarming to me. But then I thought I could just I mean, this is what comes into my office. I could give them the good stuff, like I could be their queen, you know. So I started to post on there and I posted on YouTube and then look

what happened. I don't I don't know how this quite got to this point, but yeah, we have this amazing TV show that I'm so lucky to be a part of, and now we're popping some very big things and um gotten to a point. You know, certainly a limit, but certainly certainly it's all been amazing that you know, these are things that I've been training for for years and suddenly that's what I'm doing, you know, my life. You mentioned the black Head extraction. I mean, I'll just go

out there and say, that's like porn to me. That is like I am dialed in and I want to see the roots of it. I want to hear it come out like I'm dying. I see the pus and then I want to know the route I get it. I'm like I said, I have this weird, weird, just fascination with popping ZiT um. When did you know? You mentioned that one was a big one, But when did you know we got something here and we need to go to these networks and sell them on this. Well,

it was growing pretty fast. Like it really quickly in the first few months. Because the thing is that even back there, especially back then, the way that social media worked is if you had a big reaction, if you engaged with it, it would grow. So either people hated it what I showed or they loved it. Either way, they had to show somebody. And so that's how it grew.

And then I think at one point, like five months in a big internet social media thing kind of took it over and did a reaction video and it went viral. Like it went like my phone was flipping like crazy, and that's when I knew, like this was a thing, and I kept working on. I was putting something out every single day, you know, just to see what would happen here. Like it was amazing to me that it would just well and grow. I mean, it's crazy though

to me. And again somebody who's popped a lot of zits on my own face and like maybe even one or two on somebody else's back, I was dating, Um, it's disgusting. I'm gonna be on it's like so gross. But like we're Aaron and I and clearly so many others. You've got twenty million followers, like on social media platforms, so a lot of people are interested in this, and it's almost like this it's like, we don't want to say that we're obsessed with it, but we are clearly

are you. Are you surprised by how many people love this like grotesque thing of popping zits? I mean I was initially surprised. I was sort of like, what the heck is going on here? Who are these people? Like? What is? But I get it. I get it now, I definitely because you know it's cathartic. It's really how many people watch these bits. You may be included as like a bedtime story. It kind of relaxed with you. It's like a zen like you're something that is not

supposed to be there. You're taking it out and you're making things more back to you know, what we would say normal. There is a satisfaction in popping a good sip when you get it and you know that you're not gonna scar and it's like a one hit like

I'm in on those. But it's just it's always fascinating to me, and I know it is to Aaron as well, which is why we were thrilled to be talking to you, because there's so many questions we have, including is it okay that Aaron and I have used our fertility needles to pop sits on our face? Tu um, probably better than other things. I mean, what do you know what gauge needle that is? Like? Is it pretty? Don't look

after I talk to you, believe it bleeds fast? Yeah, I mean the smaller the gauge, meaning like the spine or the needle, probably the smaller little nick you can make on the surface. And just I think that the key is with popping pimples. I'm gonna be like every other differ intelligence and say you should not pop your own pimples, but I know many of us are going to, myself included, and so I think that the important thing, just like with all my social media is the education,

like understanding why. And I think you guys get it. I mean, there's certainly an ideal time to pop a pimple, right, Oh, you're gonna wait for the good ones, right when it's the most superficial, when it's actually looking it's worse, like it's what we call a pustual. It's all on the surface of the skin, because you want to get all of that out of it. Because if you don't, it's you know, when you squeeze one to early, just becomes like Mount Vesuvius. Right, it just gets enormous and worse.

So you want to get it when it's the most super ficial because the more trauma that you have, more deep in the skin, the more risk you have for scarring. All right, how many times is it splashed up on your face? Another person? To mean yes? Or you wear like a shield? Are you so happy that you now have to wear protective shield? Yeah? I definitely am. Do I overuse my shield? Do I have child here? Actually? Um, I'll have to send you splash masks. I'll send you

my splash mask. They're called splash master. This is they've certainly splashed like on the wall or on the ceiling, and certainly when it gets in your hair, it's rummer because it's like when you go to the campfire and you get the smoke in your hair and you can't every time you turn your head you smell it. It's like that you feel you just have to take a shower.

So you just feel like it's acid on you, you know, but it's not, obviously, and it doesn't really smell or at least, I don't smell it, like I don't stick my nose in something and smell it. Sometimes they have an odor, but usually that's when it's infected, Like that's when bacteria's and bosses. Girls. Those beautiful Christine ones that you see me pop are usually not infected. So it's just old skin cells that are wet under your skin. So imagine what that would smell like. It's not the best.

What's your favorite ones to pop? My favorite ones? I don't know if you guys know the name of them, but it's called a dilated pour of win er. Have you ever heard of that wine? You got me a wine? They're the giant black heads. Those are the ones that you take out and they just kind of come out whole and they leave it the whole, right right, that's a giant, a giant black head. It's so big that it like dilates the opening of your skin and like then you have this you have to actually cut that

whole out to close it. Oh, oh my god, cut it out. But they're beautiful because they're not bloody, they're not like they don't really require an excision oftentimes just a little squeeze and maybe like a little fource ups and they kind of pop out whole, very satisfying. But I also like the you know, I also like cysts that kind of come out easily, the ones on the head um. They're called pilarcists, and they have thicker walls.

They pump out like an olive. They're really satisfying that way because they're easy and you know that you got it all and you know the persons not in any pain, and you're just gonna stitch them up and it's gonna be so their life is gonna be so much better. I hope our listeners are, because again, if you're not watching this on YouTube, but you're you're hearing this, and I'm just visualizing all those videos that I watch of yours are the ones that Aaron and I sent back

and forth to each other. We were on the phone the other day and we were watching some of them and there was that, remember Aaron, the one on this chin. It was so interesting. It came out actually like a full unit, like it was just like almost like a little piece of cheese. It was insane. I have a question, and I wonder how much you've gotten into this in your life, But I remember a party in the summer

A couple of years ago. We had a bunch of people over when we were allowed to do that, and I threw it up on the airplay one of your videos, um, and we were just having a big party and it was just I don't know, maybe a few drinks hit me right and people were losing their minds. I obviously am part of this popoholic crew, whatever you want to call it. Have you ever talked to somebody with training of what this means like therapy wise? What does this mean? Why?

Why are we so fascinated? What's the deeper meaning with it? From what I hear, there are a few different things general that compel people to you know, really enjoy this or really want to watch it. Um, there's part fascinations, certainly, you know, there's like that part like you know, what kind of drawing by an accident you can't help but look,

you know, but there's also just it makes people happy. Actually, I feel like there's like a a clear story, a clear like dissonance and then you have a resolution, and I think people know that, like there's always sort of a happy ending and it just makes you feel good. And especially I think in this day and age where there's so much like negativity and so many reality shows that are just all about people fighting ing and things being angry. Like it's really nice to see something that

is obviously messed up to begin with. The then you're making it like you're making everybody happy and everything back to normal. And I feel like it's a lot like maybe even riding a roller coaster or watching a scary movie. You know that you get like the endorphins, you get excited, but then the end you're like, oh, Okay, everything's back to normal again. What's the reaction that you get the most when you say or you reveal that you're Dr

pimple Popper. What's people's immediate reaction? Um, I mean they usually, I mean they usually know amazingly who what that is or you know what. I actually get recognized a lot by my voice more than anything, especially from the show, because all my videos is my voice, and I've gotten stopped in the airport just because somebody heard my voice, like across the in the room and they came over.

And so I get recognized certainly by the people who love the stuff and they I mean, I would love to someday just be at a like a big awards where all these celebrities are and just stand there and see, like, you know, ready to interview people and to see who comes up to me. Because there's a lot of closet closet. So that's what I'm saying, Like, why don't like people don't want to admit or it's almost like kind of this like gross thing that you're like, don't want to

admit that you're into or something like that. Meanwhile, Aaron's showing it videos at the party. I mean, you're a bad There's definitely people that are that are not embarrassed of it, and I so appreciate that. I feel like you're more ballsy and more REBELLI you know, like who cares Like this is not there's nothing wrong with this. It's like something that I like, and a lot of people do. I mean, Gwyneth Paltrow, Selena Gomez, you know,

like they like popping everything. Like sports, there's like, you know, sports athletes that love it. There are politicians that love it. It's like just it's for everyone. Yeah, exactly, come on, come all, okay, Like let's say the person comes up to you in the airport or whatever. What's a story of like a strange situation that someone came up to and even asked you to pop a pimple, or like how do you look at it? Like what's the crazy sort of scenarity that you've gotten your self into? Yeah,

you would do that any well. Interestingly, I think, um, a lot of the popa hogs that come up now, they don't really come up asking me about something because I think a lot of us that like this stuff they would get it taken care of or do something to it themselves, you know, so it's not like they're

waiting to see me. But I definitely have had people like I've been playing golf in the middle of a swing and somebody will cross over to fair ways to come up in the middle of my swing show me they're back, you know, on their back, and I know, like you know, like weird situations where you're like at a pizza place eating and then the owner finds out and then they want to show you there something you know in the back, So while you're eating your pepperoni,

here's one on my face. My story there has to be I mean, you don't have to reveal who it was, but what's your your worst and not that it was bad for you, but it was like, wow, this we gotta bring whatever that is behind you. We gotta bring the scalpel in um. You know, there's so many of them. There's like just like the show too is really challenging

because they bring me some crazy things. Did you see the guy Leonard with his extra arm like he had he had like a like homa that popped and it was looking like an extra arm, like an extra pendent just hanging down thing and it was like almost open on the end. And you just don't know what these people are gonna walk in with, and you don't know their personalities, so you have to really, you know, manage them when they're awake while you're doing you know, you're

doing things to them. And so there's a lot of big juggling act there. And okay, well there's a guy in this next season coming up that has you know what rhino flima is. It's that overgrowth of the nose, like the skin of the nose sociate with rosatia, but it's certainly not everybody rosatia because that's much more common, has it. But this guy has like two cantelopes hanging from his nose, like it's you know, obscuring his mouth,

and it's like and so that stuff is crazy. It's like the world's record, you know, by far the kinds of things that we're seeing. Yeah, aside from like okay, you know there's like the oh or like the word puss automatically, like as people have a visceral reaction to the word puss. So like when we're talking about popping zits and things like that, Like, yes, there's the entertaining part of it, but truthfully, is somebody who has suffered

with acne my whole life? It is traumatic and Aaron and I being in television and the medium of that in HD and it's like, oh my god, you're I get really insecure sometimes when I'm having a breakout of it on accutaine a hundred different times. So what the service that you provide as a dermatologist or even the awareness in the education you change people's lives. And I'm not calling atomatic by saying that, I'm like, I'm somebody

who wants my skin is clear. You can go out into the world differently than you can when you're ashamed of of a breakout. So what sort of an inspiring situation or is that your motivation to continue to put these videos out is to help inspire entertaining us of course, but like help people ultimately, right, I say that our videos really firstly entertain people, they start secretly educate you too, you understand things. And also I think it also increases acceptance.

You know, acne is something that affects almost all of us at some point, especially in our teenage years, where we're just really trying to figure out who we are and interacting with others, and to have really bad actne at that age, you know it's not going to kill you, but it certainly affects the way the person that you become. And um, I think that we helped to breed acceptance here. You know that the world is not just so filtered and everybody looks so beautiful and there's so much pressure

on you. I love the fact that a lot of the newer social media platforms like TikTok, they actually embrace the people people that have bad acne or have some other physical maybe issue that makes them a little bit different.

People are really supportive of that, and that's really like a kind of a backlash to all that has gone on in the years before, and just also helps to make people feel good about themselves, and just to know that don't treat somebody different if they had this huge extra head growing out on their back, because there's reasons why they didn't have it taken care of, and you know, don't there's still a person. They still want the same kind of like everybody else. So sweet Sandra, is there

a story we talked about? Your worst kind of you know, maybe patient that you've had a situation. Is there your best inspirational story you've walked away with and you kind of always keep it with you because you are You're giving people confidence, You're giving them a new perspective on life. Anything you can share with us story wise, I guess that happens all. I mean, I'm so lucky that I have this show that gets to show me because all doctors change people's lives, you know, in a positive way,

but I actually get to see it. I get to see how it changes them in their home life, you know, on TV and people just there there. There's well, there's one person I remember in particular early on. If you go back to YouTube and you look up Pops, this gentleman he's an older guy who like, um, this is when I also another time where I knew something big was happening here because he had really bad but amazing black heads. You know, he was older, gentleman. His wife

just passed away and he was lost without her. He was gonna have to leave his home and go into a retirement community and he didn't have the money and he was very stressed out and very distraught about it. And he talked about it while we were doing his black heads. No nobody knows who he is, they just

saw his nose. But the community on YouTube, they got all excited to help him, and it prompted me to start a go fund me page and people around the world donated like sixteen thousand dollars to him, and we presented to him in a video and he just it was he was like he was astonished. He knew he

was being videotaped. He knew I told him we started this account, but he didn't really understand or realized that it was going to be this much money and all these letters from around the world, and you should have seen how it changed him. He in his last years, he just became so happy and just like you know, just he knew that people cared about him and there were people on the world that we're thinking about him,

and that meant so much. So that was like a really special thing that I knew that, Okay, this is a thing if people around the world are going to donate all this money to him. Who knew that popping black heads would bring people together? In a go funding page. You just never know where the past you're gonna cross. So we're in our bathroom. What's the best way to pop as it? Give us your dues and don't Okay, well, the best way really what you want to do is

obviously make sure that your instruments and your hands are clean. Right, so make sure make sure that you have you know, everything is as sterile as possible. You have some good points they are kind of sterilizing with a flame or things like that. But if you can get you know, more even sterile like single use things, that's very great

to have. Steam your skin, make sure or maybe take a hot shower opens your poor softens the debris within the pores right, makes it easier to extract using maybe retinal or retina maybe on a daily basis, will help over the weeks prior to doing an extraction. We are going to help to soften your skin to make things come out more easily and also help to prevent new ones. But my skin tears more when I do that, Like if I'm popping as it with retina on, I mean,

I leave a huge pothole in my face. Well maybe that means you don't do it being very aggressive on the pop. Alright, Well, I think for I think for you, Aaron, you might want to set a little timer. I should make a pimple timer, you know, like a little a little pimple and like put the timer on and say, if you're in the bathroom long in this, you need to not that's not a bad idea. I could go

days in there. I could. And sometimes things aren't really palpable to you might think that they are, you know, but they're not. And sometimes you know what milia are? Milia are? Those are hard the white ones, those I really gotta dig in for and they always get them around my eye maybe it's come out like little pearls are really around my eyes mostly, but they're harder to pop because they're under the skin, so you usually have to nick the skin a little bit. Oh yeah, yeah,

I remember like afterwards. Also use a little spot treatment, like a little benzel pox side like acid. Put them. It's like a little pimple facial. You know, you put it on the area, but hands off the area. Even pimple patches are great because you're you know, neutral colored and you can kind of hide. And also it helps remind you to keep your hands away from the area you're gonna die. I had a massive basketball game one time. This is horrible, and this is it leads me into

the next one quick fix on the road. What we should bring in our like cosmetic bag. I had a massive basketball game and I got put with the big dogs, like the A team. I was so excited. I got the I get I have T zone, and I get monster like cystic acne where it's like the heartbeat. You can see it on air. It's like an child. Yeah. I decided to like get the skin off. Then I thought putting toothpaste on it overnight would be amazing whitening

no less too, because who needs that red dot. I woke up the next day for the back small game a massive bloody hole in my face. I held the microphone like this the whole game. It was unbelievable. What do you need in your bag as a quick fix if you're traveling or like wedding or something like that, and we can't get to you right because if you get to a doctor, a dermotologist, they can usual shoot it with a steroid it but you it makes it

go away right away. I would say definitely like a pimple patch, like a hydrocholoid or that or the like. You know, those little patches you can have that keep your hands off a bit. But also like a good Benzl proxide. I have some you know, you can get those kinds of things over the counter and you can put a little spot treatment on there. You really want to try to leave it alone. It's hard because it's

all about timing. I mean, if it's gonna go through that process right then unfortunately it goes it's already there, like you can't. You gotta let it run its course. And the issue is if you pick at it, you can really prolong the course of it and make it worse. So it's so hard. I understand when I say this, I already know that it's not necessarily going to be heated. This advice that you get it, you understand it. It's just you gotta you gotta train yourself to not you know,

to keep your hands away from it. What's the deal with the toothpaste thing? Does that? Why do people think that that's a thing. I feel like that's where Mom's back in the day, our mom's love the toothpaste wine. Well, I think it works a little bit in two ways. One is that if you put this paste on there, it kind of gets dry and chalky, you know, and sometimes like mental or something like that, maybe it has some kind of you know, drying kind of component to it.

But it also keeps your hand off of it too, because if you have a glob of toothpaste there. But I don't think that it does better than an athne spot treatment. I think that that is superior. Is there a better light or is there a light that you suggest, because and I'm sure you've heard this a million times, those airplane bathroom lights. I mean, people probably think I'm having a massive stomach situation for how long I spend

in their toping yrs. It's in the airplane, you guys, when you're traveling again, check out that light in there. You see things you've never seen before in the face. Do you agree with me? Dr? Yeah, But also the big fine there are you gotta throw that thing away are dangerous. Yeah, they're dangerous because they make you see things that you most of us don't see, and you need to just there's a point where you want to you know, like it can be it can it can

become more of a obsession sometimes. So really, I just can't believe Aaron's in the bathroom and there's a long line outside and she's getting into that black head. Now, this is like a commada. There's a giant one off

one of those. Yeah, these are this is what I use usually, obviously to a smaller degree, but because it puts even pressure around the pimple and it's really rounded and like it's smooth edges so that you're not going to really cut into your skin, so you can try to like extract something in a very in a more sterile and clean way. I remember when I was rocking my long acrylic nails that was so mad when they were so long, because I couldn't really get in there.

Part of the reason why they're short. Now could actually make on a colic nail like this a little hole in it, and that's your next TikTok video. At this entrepreneur, she's always thinking of new and creative ways. All right, so you mentioned some of the things we will see. For those that haven't watched the show, you have to Discovery Plus Dr Primple Popper. You can check her out all of her different social channels. Aaron and I are clearly huge fans. Um. You've given us some great advice,

You've got great stories. Look, the great news is that ACNE is not going anywhere, and you are set through life in what you're doing. Where do you want to take your business? And and you know the shows. Is that what you enjoy doing the most or is it in the office, Like what what part of your business are you excited? Because Aaron and I love the business

aspect of what we're doing as well. Well. I mean I started my own skincare line, which is the SLMD Skincare, which is really the whole impetus behind like even the social media and building up my YouTube channel because I realized there are all these people around the world that really wanted answers, but you know their skin and I

and they can't see Dematologists. A lot of people can't see the so I really wanted to use my videos to help educate people so that they understand what to use and then actually provide products that they can use, just recommend. And I also think that when you do that, it gives people they really feel like that they played a big role in solving their problems with their skin,

and so they're really proud of it. And I really am very lucky that I have the trust of people, and I don't want to let them down, you know, I want to give them the best advice that I can as a dermatologist. And um yeah, the show, I get to meet people around the world. I mean, I don't know, maybe we'll go on tour one of these days. Tour like you come with visit and like you'll pop them there. It's like that's what on the site rusself be amazing, live, live people popping. Yes, and we'll have

a splash zone. I want to have like a flash zone. You sit in the front row. You gotta will get like a poncho and I'm sorry, but whatever happens, oh my god, that's amazing. Well, I gotta tell you. And again, I'm sure if you know, for our listeners that are just as fascinated with this, the cults, that is, the popoholics. Even if you're a closet popoholic. Um, you've turned you know, you're already incredible profession into an incredible empire that is

helping people but also is entertaining. So UM, we're thrilled to have you on the show. Thank you. We can't wait for you to invite us to the office. And yeah, all this have to do, that'd be so much fun. I took away the timer. The timer was the best thing. It was a thrill to even speak to you. I talk about you all the time, like we're already friends. But now that you've like set this personal timer up for me, I can't thank you enough. That's what I'm

taking away from this. I need a timer in front of the mirror with my zits. That's right, I'm going to have to send you one. I'll have to send you a special one, Sandra, before we let you go. Real quickly, just the three things that our viewers need to remember if you're dealing with acne how you can help. Just quick three quick tips um that listeners can take with them after after this combo. Number one with acne is No One to pop and no one to stop

right that one, right at at. Aaron there too that we all get pimples at some time in our life and it's certainly not the end of the world, you know, And there are treatment options. Really understanding what treatments work the best for whatever type of pimple you have is important. And if you have severe acne, go see a dermatologist. There's so many fantastic medications that can really change your life.

Thank you. You have clearly made an impact on a lot of people, and you've also helped bring some humor and some entertainment to a subject that is deeply personal and you know, sad for a lot of people. Thank you. It was a pleasure to talk to you. And we can't wait to be in line in that splash zone. Yes, thank you so much. Bye, we'll talk again. I'll see you again in my office. Oh my god, I can't wait. It's like Disneyland for you. Yeah, Oh, it is Magic Kingdom.

Here I comes. You know what I'm not going to calm down about if you haven't downloaded and subscribed search calm down with Aaron and Kariss. So what what welcome? I mean, let's go here? People. You can check out our YouTube page at YouTube dot com. What do they call those things? Backslash, backslash? I never know, is up front or is it back I don't know, backstroke, slampdown. Follow the show at at Calm Down Podcast on Twitter and Instagram, and follow us on our socials and don't

forget about our cameos. Oh my god, call us any time, will answer, even if we're in the bathroom. Leave a mess any hour, any hour. Um. I love Dr Lee. She is my jam I dream. Aaron just said that she shows uh, pimple popping videos at parties, pimple popping videos at parties. That Sally Selsy shells by the seashore. What propels you to do this? It's a crowd pleaser, apparently,

you said. I don't know if we were talking about it, but I just felt like, you know, airplay was there and I had enough of the playlist and I was like, let's just put this on and everybody was like, oh my god, your party is dull. Liven it up with Dr Sandra Lee. She's great, though, and I like what she said. You know, I know we touched on it at the beginning of of the podcast, but I mean, Acne has made me sad for a lot of years,

and I've learned to laugh about it. But she's really brought some, um you know, some lightness to what can be a difficult subject. What was the thing that you found most interesting that she said, other than we need to stop picking our faces? Yeah, I mean I knew she was going to tell me that. I loved how she told me I needed a time limit on me picking my face. Yeah, the timer. I thought that was awesome.

I need a time limit for a lot of things in my life, nagging, being annoying, Um, you know, festering on things anyhow. Um, that's a difference dicast at a different time. But yeah, no, I love that. But my problem is I do a time limit for that time, take a time out and and go again, you know what I mean? Because they still got to get the pit. You're not a quitter? Uh? Would you say that you are a wait? What's her fan club that you love? Papa Holics, Pop Holock. Would you say you're a popoholic

dirt pop? Yeah? I would. I love it. I love it all. I gotta be honest. Whenever I went on accutane and my skin clears up, like I'm so happy. I'm happy for our wonderful makeup artist Brittany and Dominique at Fox and anybody else that has to touch my face because they don't have to do so much work. They don't suffer from like carpal tunnel with all of the like masking of the concealer. But then I kind of get sad, like I missed my zip sometimes and I think to myself, remember when I used to have

to pop you all day every day? But then they come back. Actually just wait up blood from more accutane. So there's that. I'm sure what you're about to touch you? I was gonna say. From games, like when I was thinking of the girls, Like as the game progresses, it's like forget about how many running yards, how many layers of like but like make foundation do I have on it? And it's like this high. Now. The masks have really

helped us, though, don't you think? Yes? Because I know some people suffer from mask me because it's you know, it's like suffocating their face. But I haven't been wearing as much makeup because we just wear masks all the time, so that helps my skin. But you know, look acne. It's it's not a big deal. It really isn't It is what it is? Yeah, is what it is, ladies and gentlemen. And I was actually told by my dermatologist it's good I have oily skin because it helps with

the wrinkles. I'm not sure if that's true. But anyways, Dr Sandra Leie, what a dream. I can't believe she's made quite the profession off of something that, Like, who would have thought? I get sucked in. I sit there and I just watched those videos I sent him to you. You get upset. I'm gonna put on our I g a cupcake. I found that just grossed you out, like a cupcake of poppings. It's like I thought it was

so funny. I'm just intrigued by the whole thing. I'm curious why people will go as long as they do with these growths, like not get them fixed. Yeah that's sad. Yeah, I don't know. I am. I don't have time. Like my cistic acne or the ZiT starts to form right away, and I'm like, let's go, let's start, you know, surgery right away. Here we come. And on that note, I think I'm gonna go do it. No, don't touch your face. I learned a lot today Again for those of you

that have made it all the way through. And if you're suffering from macnee, we're always here for you. And if you're not suffering from macne, we're always here for you. Calm Down podcast We will not calm down. Aaron love you until the next time. I love you, see you. Calm Down with Aaron and Carissa is a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.