Sioux Falls Woman Appears on TLC’s Dr. Pimple Popper

Unless you have access to streaming television channels, premium cable, or no desire to watch television, period. You may find yourself doing the same thing I have during this summer of reruns and dreck. I have watched the Science channel, for shows like Unearthed, Mysteries of the Abandoned and The Planets. I've spent more time perusing PBS science and societal documentaries and programs. That's right enriching my mind, on purpose!

I'm embarrassed to admit I've also spent many an hour watching HGTV's now defunct Fixer Upper series. That Chip and Joanna Gaines really know how to put a house back together nicely and they are the kind of people you'd like to hang out with! Any show the adorable Drew and Jonathan Scott have anything to do with, is also on my radar.

I'm ensconced in one of these guilty pleasures, (TLC's Outdaughered) last week when a promo for something called Dr. Pimple Popper swam before my tired eyes. It is a series based on the adventures of an engaging California dermatologist named Dr. Sandra Lee, who has encountered enough bizarre skin conditions for the TLC channel to turn her work into a reality show.

The title gives you some insight into what it is about and ordinarily I would run screaming from this kind of show. But this time, the premiere episode of this quasi-medical themed show, included a friendly, and somewhat shy, young Sioux Falls woman with a gigantic growth on her neck.

Identified only as Melissa, who worked at a Shop-n-Cart here in town, she made her way to Dr. Lee's office, after other doctors failed to help her. The growth turned out to be a benign fatty lipoma (a normally slow-growing lump of fat cells), which when finally removed weighed over 3 pounds and completely changed Melissa's appearance.

Dr. Lee does most of these operations under local anesthesia, so the patients don't feel pain, but they do feel the tugging and pressure involved in removing their growths.Yes, some of these procedures can be grisly and if you have a weak stomach, do not watch this show! As for me,  I've always had a fascination with watching surgical procedures, probably because my parents were medical people.

Will I continue to watch this sad parade of people with some truly awful skin issues and conditions? I'm not sure, but is it any worse than watching the news lately? I don't think so.

One more caveat for you, the video below is the removal of Melissa's growth, so again, if you get queasy easily- -don't watch it!

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