This archive report was first published on 3 September 2019.
Dr. Sandra Lee, MD, a dermatologist and TLC host, has gained a reputation for her expertise in removing blackheads and other skin imperfections. In a recent Instagram video, Dr. Lee, also known as Dr. Pimple Popper, removes a large blackhead from a patient's back.
Published on September 3, 2019, the video shows Dr. Lee using a comedone extractor to remove the blackhead, which is actually a clogged pore filled with dead skin cells and oil, also known as sebum.
"It keeps coming," Dr. Lee exclaims several times in the video, as she continues to push out the sebum with the extractor.
Blackheads, or open comedones, are often misunderstood as being caused by dirt or grime, but they are actually a result of a combination of dead skin cells and oil. The blackish portion of a blackhead is due to the oxidation of these cells and oil when exposed to air, while the white substance seen in this extraction is unoxidized.
The patient in the video is grateful to have Dr. Lee's skillful hand extracting the large blackhead, and is already feeling better after the procedure.
"I'm feeling better already," the patient says at the end of the video. Dr. Lee happily replies, "You do? I like that."
