Dr. Pimple Popper - General Discussion

[cynicat]

4 hours ago, Mothra said:

OTOH, I feel pretty confident that I could diagnose a regular old cyst or lipoma now, thanks to Dr. Lee Medical School, and might even--if the situation were dire enough--take a whack at treating it.  But maybe TLC isn't part of the basic cable package?

That's true, to a point.  All the years of training aren't so much about when everything goes exactly to plan, and things work the way they're supposed to work.  The years of education are more about being able to realize when the unexpected happens, and knowing what to do when they go wrong.  Dr. Lee has often said that while she thinks she has a good idea about what something might be from the appearance and feel, until she opens it up she can't be sure.  And even then will still send samples out for pathology to get a definitive diagnosis.

[Gam2]

23 minutes ago, cynicat said:

That's true, to a point.  All the years of training aren't so much about when everything goes exactly to plan, and things work the way they're supposed to work.  The years of education are more about being able to realize when the unexpected happens, and knowing what to do when they go wrong.  Dr. Lee has often said that while she thinks she has a good idea about what something might be from the appearance and feel, until she opens it up she can't be sure.  And even then will still send samples out for pathology to get a definitive diagnosis.

This is absolutely true. My son is a veterinarian and he’s so careful about what he can diagnose and what he can’t. He’s fortunate that he’s located closely by the Vet School he went to and knows all of the professors who taught him. He can refer animals to them when he can’t quite figure out what is going on. Often, they can’t even figure it out either! Any good doctor, no matter what speciality, knows what they know and what they don’t. 

[CrazyMoon]

I worked in medicine for a good number of years before moving into school library services...research is second nature to me. Part of what I teach to my students is to recognize the 'next step' and not stop because it just looks like a wall. 

[kendi]

12 hours ago, readheaded said:

Insurance coverage varies widely, too, unfortunately, even for what may be necessary care.  And, if a person has a high-deductible plan, they've got a disincentive not to get any care that's not necessary.  

My work insurance plan is with an HMO and it does not cover dermatology---that's strictly out of pocket. That being said, I had a cyst on my back, exactly where the bra strap would hit. It got inflamed twice and each time, they simply lanced it and I had to go back everyday so they could repack it with gauze so it could heal "from the inside out". When it got inflamed the third time, my doctor referred me to a specialist--2 month waiting list. When I finally got my appt with the specialist, it was another 2 months before I got the procedure approved to remove the cyst. When I had the cyst removed, it didn't heal correctly. The stitches had came out so they decided to repeat the gauze packing instead. Now i have a huge keloid scar (looks like a big burn) on the my back. HMO's suck when they don't know what they're doing.

[CrazyMoon]

6 hours ago, kendi said:

My work insurance plan is with an HMO and it does not cover dermatology---

I'm so not an HMO fan...I'll manage my own care, thank you very much! I've had high deductible plans in the past so have had to plan for some things. 

[Cowgirl]

Just saw a re-run featuring a guy with a long red beard who had two bumps on his forehead.  One was a regular cyst and one turned out to be old scar tissue.  It was cute how ecstatic he was after Dr. Lee helped him!  What a grin!  He then shaved off his beard and looked much more handsome, in  my opinion.

[CrazyMoon]

45 minutes ago, Cowgirl said:

Just saw a re-run featuring a guy with a long red beard who had two bumps on his forehead.  One was a regular cyst and one turned out to be old scar tissue.  It was cute how ecstatic he was after Dr. Lee helped him!  What a grin!  He then shaved off his beard and looked much more handsome, in  my opinion.

I remember that guy....went from hermitized mountain man to uptown hottie 

[2727]

I don't know why an epidermal nevus would smell, but neither do I want to think about it too much.

I hope the nice brother and sister were able to get some relief and that the show paid for their local doctor if they don't have insurance. During the follow-up, it sounded like the brother might had put off making an appointment; hopefully seeing his sister be pain free will help.

[terrymct]

I wish Dr Lee could have started the brother and sister with the oozing bumps on some kind of prescription to get them mentally started in the process.  Just as you could have predicted, the sister was just starting to medication after three months and it sounds like the brother hadn't even been to a doctor yet.  You could tell in his eyes in the office that he'd lost hope.

[mmecorday]

I could watch Dr. Lee excise cysts, squeeze out pus, and tear out lipomas all the live long day -- but I cannot watch surgery related to feet or eyes. So I will NOT be watching "My Feet Are Killing Me." God forbid TLC ever features an eye surgeon in a show.

I have a mild form of what the brother and sister have. It's gotten more manageable as I've gotten older. I'm really sorry Dr. Lee couldn't do more to help them, but she's not a magician. She is one hell of a skilled surgeon, though.

[libgirl2]

42 minutes ago, mmecorday said:

I could watch Dr. Lee excise cysts, squeeze out pus, and tear out lipomas all the live long day -- but I cannot watch surgery related to feet or eyes. So I will NOT be watching "My Feet Are Killing Me." God forbid TLC ever features an eye surgeon in a show.

I have a mild form of what the brother and sister have. It's gotten more manageable as I've gotten older. I'm really sorry Dr. Lee couldn't do more to help them, but she's not a magician. She is one hell of a skilled surgeon, though.

That feet show looked awful! I don't think I can watch it. Even the commercial made me grimace. 

And we are getting another "popper" show with Dr. Emma? Do we really need two of them? How much popping can we watch? 

[CrazyMoon]

2 hours ago, terrymct said:

I wish Dr Lee could have started the brother and sister with the oozing bumps on some kind of prescription to get them mentally started in the process.  Just as you could have predicted, the sister was just starting to medication after three months and it sounds like the brother hadn't even been to a doctor yet.  You could tell in his eyes in the office that he'd lost hope.

Some of those medications require frequent follow-up and have a long list of side effects. And getting in to see a new doctor can take months. It becomes a liability issue for Dr. Lee if she's prescribed something that causes adverse reactions to someone and they can't get immediate follow-up care.  I'm suspecting the brother is more than a bit afraid of the new process. You actually can get comfortable with 'they can't do anything for me, poor me'....

[terrymct]

1 minute ago, CrazyMoon said:

I'm suspecting the brother is more than a bit afraid of the new process. You actually can get comfortable with 'they can't do anything for me, poor me'....

Comfortable, afraid, resigned.  A whole mess of emotions.  "This is just how I have to live."

[CrazyMoon]

12 minutes ago, terrymct said:

Comfortable, afraid, resigned.  A whole mess of emotions.  "This is just how I have to live."

But the sister is all up in it, so she'll be pushing him to get on board. And he'll be happy that he did.

[2727]

I did smile at Dr. Lee's vision for a pimple popping pop-up RV clinic. (Non-boob-looking shooter cyst on top.)

She could partner with a food truck selling scrambled eggs, ricotta, jam. and blue cheese!

[Twopper]

1 hour ago, CrazyMoon said:

But the sister is all up in it, so she'll be pushing him to get on board. And he'll be happy that he did.

It sounds like he picked a different doctor than the sister from Dr Lee's list.   Not sure why.

I want the man with the lump on his neck to go get some veneers.  His missing teeth made him hard to watch so I ff'd through most of his background/followup.   Okay, so I am shallow; don't judge.

I guess I have seen too much of Dr Now because I get giddy when she weighs the lipomas.  I was curious as to how much the one from the man's neck weighed, because it seemed bigger than the one she removed from the woman's leg.

Speaking of the woman from Florida.  She said she was from Kiss-a-me, but it is pronounced ka-SIM-me.  Very strange.

[CrazyMoon]

10 minutes ago, Twopper said:

I want the man with the lump on his neck to go get some veneers.  His missing teeth made him hard to watch so I ff'd through most of his background/followup.   Okay, so I am shallow; don't judge.

I always notice people's teeth...that guy would be a dental school's dream...the costs at a dental school (every state has at least one) is very low...the fellows in reconstructive dentistry could use him as their certification boards patient....then it's usually free.

[libgirl2]

2 hours ago, Twopper said:

It sounds like he picked a different doctor than the sister from Dr Lee's list.   Not sure why.

I want the man with the lump on his neck to go get some veneers.  His missing teeth made him hard to watch so I ff'd through most of his background/followup.   Okay, so I am shallow; don't judge.

I guess I have seen too much of Dr Now because I get giddy when she weighs the lipomas.  I was curious as to how much the one from the man's neck weighed, because it seemed bigger than the one she removed from the woman's leg.

Speaking of the woman from Florida.  She said she was from Kiss-a-me, but it is pronounced ka-SIM-me.  Very strange.

You aren't shallow, I thought the same thing. He would look so much better with his teeth fixed. Especially since after the procedure he looked so much better. 

[Red Bridey]

I also have a very mild case of hidradenitis suppertiva (can't spell it) under my arms and in my groin. Menopause seems to have reduced the frequency a lot, but the welts are so frigging painful. It's like if you can just find the right angle to pop the pimple and release the pus it could hurt for a minute but then feel so much better, but the welts don't work like that. They are hard and hot and the only thing I find helpful is Hibiclens wash (not a paid endorsement!). The welts usually calm down after two days of washing; sometimes I can head it off before it grows big and hot.  I felt so bad for the brother and can't imagine having that visible and violent a skin condition.    l

[Galloway Cave]

I was a little mystified when Dr. Lee was looking at the brother's neck, and pus was coming out of the very red part. She kept saying his condition wasn't active and not red. We could SEE that it looked active and leaking. I would imagine that she has seen worse, but his looked pretty bad. I do hope he sees a doc in his area. 

[auntjess]

On 7/26/2019 at 2:06 AM, GaT said:

Why am I always eating something when I watch this show?

With me, I get myself a treat, from Moe's tonight, and saved the new DPP to watch with it.  Bumps and burritos.

[auntjess]

8 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

And we are getting another "popper" show with Dr. Emma? Do we really need two of them? How much popping can we watch? 

Hey, there are 3 little people shows, several with people coming or going to marry folks from another country, several polygamist shows, so I am entitled to another pimple show.
As soon as it shows up, it will go on my "series record" list.
https://www.menshealth.com/health/a28588641/dr-emma-tlc/

(and innumerable fat shows too, so there!)

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 8/2/2019 at 12:26 PM, Twopper said:

I want the man with the lump on his neck to go get some veneers.  His missing teeth made him hard to watch so I ff'd through most of his background/followup.   Okay, so I am shallow; don't judge.

And as if the lump and his teeth weren't enough of a curse, he has vitiligo, too.  Poor damn guy.

[Mothra]

On 8/2/2019 at 1:15 PM, 2727 said:

I did smile at Dr. Lee's vision for a pimple popping pop-up RV clinic. (Non-boob-looking shooter cyst on top.)

She could partner with a food truck selling scrambled eggs, ricotta, jam. and blue cheese!

and oatmeal!!!

[CarbonCopy]

On 7/19/2019 at 10:00 AM, CruiseDiva said:

Plus, kids bullied him and called him names. I was sad that Dr Lee couldn't do more for him. Maybe he'll be back. Hopefully. His mother needed a smack upside the head.

I was so happy to see Gerald get his tumor removed. What a lovely outcome.

What was up with Vinne's accent? 

[mmecorday]

Quote

What was up with Vinne's accent? 

I don't think it was an accent. I think he had a hearing problem or he had delayed speech when he was little.

[jenifaohjenny]

This show is such a statement on the US healthcare/insurance situation - it is sad.  These people walk around with these things for years and suffer from anxiety because they don't have the insurance or the funds to pay for treatment. So they have to turn to a reality show. 

[seasons]

Tonight's episode is a repeat already? My cable guide says new but it's not. 

?

[MissT]

Definitely a repeat. Still fascinated at the woman with 68 lipomas though. 

Edited August 9, 2019 by MissT

[2727]

41 minutes ago, seasons said:

Tonight's episode is a repeat already? My cable guide says new but it's not. 

?

Pfft. It's an old ep with "extra" scenes and/or behind the scene captions that somehow qualifies it as new. 

[Rickster]

A little ridiculous to be doing repeats after only a handful of new episodes. Not sure if this was just a repeat, or 3 cases from different episodes repackaged into one.

[GaT]

4 hours ago, seasons said:

Tonight's episode is a repeat already? My cable guide says new but it's not. 

?

Huh, I don't remember any of the stories (so it's new to me), I wonder why? I thought I saw all the episodes. I can't imagine what it must be like to lay there for 5 hours while a doctor cuts 68 lumps out of my arms.

[Jeeves]

I looked at the episode description and the cases mentioned, I've all seen before. My DVR recorded it, and I deleted it without watching. 

Come on, TLC, quit endlessly recycling and re-using stuff to create "new" episodes of this show. It's annoying AF.

[Jadzia]

7 hours ago, GaT said:

 I can't imagine what it must be like to lay there for 5 hours while a doctor cuts 68 lumps out of my arms.

Watching this again, I found myself wondering did they take any breaks or eat lunch? They started in the morning and ended at like 2:30 or something. She removed all the lipomas before stitching them up so I can't imagine they would have taken a break with her having a bunch of gaping holes in her arms. Was she able to get up and use the bathroom? I am assuming Dr. Lee could leave for a moment if she needed to.

[Twopper]

11 hours ago, 2727 said:

Pfft. It's an old ep with "extra" scenes and/or behind the scene captions that somehow qualifies it as new. 

Thanks, I recognized it as a repeat.  I can't imagine wanting to see it again.  So was  last week the last of the really new episodes?  I am so bummed.

[Madding crowd]

The only thing new was a five second “pop” of a random lipoma. I was expecting a new episode too, I saw this one before.

[FormerMod-a1]

It was new to me, but since I was late to the party originally I knew I had missed some.  68 lipomas in your arms, psoriasis over 2/3 to 3/4 of your body - yikes! to both!

[Josette]

According to my cable guide, next week is also a "This is Zit" episode.   That's what they call the repeats with extras.

[mmecorday]

Quote

Come on, TLC, quit endlessly recycling and re-using stuff to create "new" episodes of this show. It's annoying AF.

It's like watching an episode of "The Golden Girls" where the ladies remember events that never actually happened on the show.

[Red Bridey]

I was so excited to see a new episode and damn it was a repackaged repeat.  Fast forwarded through most if it, so at least I saved half an hour of my life, I guess.

[Mothra]

On 8/10/2019 at 8:24 AM, Red Bridey said:

I was so excited to see a new episode and damn it was a repackaged repeat.  Fast forwarded through most if it, so at least I saved half an hour of my life, I guess.

TLC is driving me nuts.  I have the DVR set to record new eps only, and because this is a compilation I guess it counts as a new ep, but sometimes I look at a little bit and think it's a repeat and delete it, then come on here and find out there was new material in it.  Arrrgh.

[CruiseDiva]

17 minutes ago, Mothra said:

TLC is driving me nuts.  I have the DVR set to record new eps only, and because this is a compilation I guess it counts as a new ep, but sometimes I look at a little bit and think it's a repeat and delete it, then come on here and find out there was new material in it.  Arrrgh.

You didn't miss anything. The "new material" wasn't worth rewatching it for.

[CrazyMoon]

4 minutes ago, CruiseDiva said:

You didn't miss anything. The "new material" wasn't worth rewatching it for.

I never watch the episodes with 'bonus footage'....just make another legit new episode

[mamadrama]

On 7/19/2019 at 2:37 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

But that's crazy with the ACA because people with very low incomes can get great insurance at a low price not only because of a subsidy, but more important, because of reduced deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for those people, if they buy a silver plan.  Like deductibles of $0 and out-of-pocket maximums of $500, if they make like $18,000 a year.  It's the deal of the century.

My area doesn't have policies anywhere near that. We were able to get subsidized insurance through the ACA and the lowest deductible and premiums available to my family of 4 were $3,500 per person or $5,000 for family and $625 per month.  Even then, insurance only paid 40% in a lot of cases. It's one of the reasons why my family is currently more than $100,000 in medical debt. When you have a chronic condition, lots of shit happens. I shouldn't complain because before the ASA we didn't have insurance at all, so this IS a step up. It's just not cheap. As a social worker I helped people sign up for different government programs and I became very familiar with Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance purchased and subsidized through the marketplace. Our state does not have ANY policies with a $0 deductible. The lowest deductible on a plan is $500, but the premiums for that are more than $1,000 a month. Now, if you don't go to the doctor often then you might get away with the "bronze" plan here, but the lowest available has a $10,000 deductible. Of course, monthly premiums are only $175 per month, but it also only covers 20%. SOME states did accept "Expanded Medicaid", which may be what you're thinking of with the $18,000 a year (it actually goes up to $24,000 in some states), but not all states took it and it's not available to those who live in non-participating states. 

Sorry, didn't mean to ramble, but my entire life's revolved around medical treatment, insurance, and doctor visits for the past 3 years. I can definitely understand why people may not be able to go to the doctor. If you're low income then sometimes even that $25 office co-pay is too much. If you don't have it, you don't have it. Many of these things on this show would be considered "cosmetic" issues and there's a good chance insurance would not cover them. Insurance did not cover the removal of the cysts on my scalp or the pore of winer on my back. Dermatologists are like a lot of other specialists-some are good, some are not. Some really don't want to take the time to investigate a complicated issue. Some of these people in these episodes have dealt with their issues for 20 years or so. It can feel overwhelming to look for a good doctor and to try and pay for the various treatments (especially if it takes several tries to find the "right" one), If you've already been to one or two who acted like they just didn't want to deal with it then then I could see not wanting to go back and just living with what you have. Dr. Sandra is someone willing to investigate, research, and really come up with the right answers. She's not afraid to be wrong or to admit that she just doesn't know. It appears that the patients on her show are comfortable around her and that says a lot as well.

[mamadrama]

On 7/20/2019 at 6:26 PM, bilgistic said:

Not to mention that people who lack insurance likely also have jobs they can't plan to take off and/or can't afford to take off. It's a privileged view to say one can--and has a vehicle to--drive x hours/distance to a teaching hospital or medical university. Speaking from personal experience, it's incredibly hard to access "free" healthcare programs, which are always in danger of losing funding. There's so, so much that factors into a person being able to access healthcare.

Navigating the system is nearly impossible and is set up that way for a reason. Acting like it's easy for people to get help is naive at best. The "people can get free stuff" kind of thinking is hurtful and counterproductive.

The dental school in my state has a very complicated procedure for appointments-basically, you can't make one. You have to show up early on one of the 3 days of the week it's open and even then you may or may not get seen. Basic care such as fillings, extractions, and cleanings are free but anything other than that is offered on a sliding scale. It's also a time-consuming process. A friend had a root canal and crown put in and it took 4 separate visits for that single tooth. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

7 hours ago, mamadrama said:

SOME states did accept "Expanded Medicaid", which may be what you're thinking of with the $18,000 a year (it actually goes up to $24,000 in some states), but not all states took it and it's not available to those who live in non-participating states.

No, I'm not thinking of Medicaid.  I'm talking about an ACA marketplace exchange policy for people with a certain income that qualifies them for not only a subsidy but also cost sharing reductions (CSRs).  To get the CSRs, the person has to sign up for a silver plan. 

I picked a random zip code in Charlotte, NC (28204) and did the numbers for a 50-year-old female.  At an income level of $18,000, she gets a subsidy of $689/month regardless of which plan she chooses on the exchange. 

But at $18,000, she also qualifies for CSRs, and can get a Blue Cross silver plan with a premium of $14/month.  It has a $250 deductible and an out-of-pocket max of $600.  Doctor visits are $5.  That's a hell of a deal.

But she may have heard that bronze plans are good for people who don't anticipate needing a lot of coverage.  In her case, she can indeed get a bronze plan for a premium $0/month because of the subsidy.  But the devil is in the details--because it's not a silver plan, she doesn't get the benefit of CSRs, so the deductible and out-of-pocket max for the bronze plan are $6,750.  That illustrates the power of CSRs, and it's something that's not widely known. 

And woe betide her if her income is $12,000 and not $18,000.  At $12,000, she's at the level that the ACA anticipated would have her covered by Medicaid, so there aren't any provisions for subsidies or CSRs for her.  But her state didn't expand Medicaid, so she's SOL.  At $18,000 income, she gets great insurance for a manageable price because of a subsidy for her premium and CSRs for her out-of-pocket expenses.  At $12,000 income, she gets no help whatsoever, and she'll be paying over $500/month for a plan with a deductible of about $7,000 for a plan on the exchange.

The same general scheme applies for families, but of course the operative income levels are different because you're covering more people, and you'll be dealing with individual and family deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. 

But it all depends on income level, with people with the lowest (but still above Medicaid-level) incomes getting the most help, and in the case of a single person working full time at a minimum wage job, access to very good coverage at a very low price.

That doesn't mean that the dermatological procedures people on this show get would be covered, but the thought that low income people don't take advantage what's available to them in terms of health insurance drives me crazy.  I've spent dozens if not hundreds of hours figuring this shit out since Obamacare came into existence, so I don't blame anybody for not understanding it.  It's complicated and tricky.  But important, so I evangelize. 

You may now return to watching gray ribbons of ooze get squeezed out of people's heads.

[bunnyface]

I want to thank you guys for the insurance info.  I have employer insurance so have never had to face the ACA.  I have a good friend who was out of work for a while and now has a job with no insurance coverage.  When he looked, all he could see was "stuff I can't afford."  I don't know what he was looking at, I had never looked either.  Armed with this new information, I have looked and found coverage I think he will be able to afford when open season comes along.  I had no idea about the cost sharing and how to look at these different options.  He will get spanked for being without insurance for this period, but will be able to get it going forward.  I never would have even looked (believing what he said) without this thread.  Thanks.

[CrazyMoon]

26 minutes ago, bunnyface said:

I want to thank you guys for the insurance info.  I have employer insurance so have never had to face the ACA.  I have a good friend who was out of work for a while and now has a job with no insurance coverage.  When he looked, all he could see was "stuff I can't afford."  I don't know what he was looking at, I had never looked either.  Armed with this new information, I have looked and found coverage I think he will be able to afford when open season comes along.  I had no idea about the cost sharing and how to look at these different options.  He will get spanked for being without insurance for this period, but will be able to get it going forward.  I never would have even looked (believing what he said) without this thread.  Thanks.

Another option is sitting down with a licensed independent insurance agent. They have access to everything available and can help you make an informed decision.  

[readheaded]

19 hours ago, CrazyMoon said:

Another option is sitting down with a licensed independent insurance agent. They have access to everything available and can help you make an informed decision.  

Yes, there are free assisters and navigators in each state whose job it is to specifically help people with ACA coverage.

[Rickster]

I can’t figure out what is going on with this show. We get a couple of new episodes, then two repeats, and according to my DVR next week is a repeat too.