These Are Dr. Pimple Popper's Favorite Popping Videos For Beginner Popaholics

Confession: Whenever I, a 32-year-old woman, encounter a cockroach, I cope by imagining that I am Wall-E and that the cockroach is my friend (and conveniently also the last living being on Earth). This technique has gotten me through many cockroach encounters with my sanity in tact. In fact, I'm thriving!

I mention this because I'm trying to figure out a similar mind exercise for viewing pimple popping videos. See, there are two types of people in this world: those who enjoy popping videos and those who would rather hang out with cockroaches. Just like hundreds of years ago, some people enjoyed attending public executions and some just wanted to stay home and eat their gruel in the dark. I fall firmly in the latter category of both parties.

This challenge was introduced after I spoke with Dr. Sandra Lee (better known as Dr. Pimple Popper) for Bustle's podcast The Bustle Huddle. After discovering that I had never seen a pimple popping video, she sent me an email with the ominous subject line "A Dr. Pimple Popper Primer ;)". Nothing screams ominous quite like a winky-face emoji in a subject line, and unsurprisingly, it contained exactly what I hoped it did not — multiple links to Dr. Pimple Popper's favorite popping videos accompanied by details on why they were the perfect gateway, er, pop for beginners to the popping subculture.

So despite my personal preference to remain a popping video virgin, I knew what had to be done. When Dr. Pimple Popper writes you an email, you have to respect it. I forced myself to work my way through that list of beginner videos — and now you can, too. Below, you'll find all the clips Dr. Lee likes to share with any pimple popping newbies, along with my beginner's reaction to every last one.

I survived, and I promise that you will, too. Soft pops ahead! You may never eat linguine again!

"Big. Back. Blackheads"

Dr. Pimple Popper on Why You Should Start Here:

This video is really one of the first ones that went "viral." We all have that one really sweet aunt who will talk your ear off, and this is what she does, while providing the viewer with some pretty amazing blackheads on the back. See what you think!

What I Thought:

My first pimple popping video ever, this video was full of surprises while somehow being exactly what I expected it to be. My first thought was, Why and how is any video about blackheads over 10 minutes long?, followed by concerns over the punctuation after every word in the title. I didn't want to watch blackheads that required that type of emphasis.

Once the popping began, I understood why these blackheads required punctuation. These were not your regular blackheads. This video will teach you why blackheads are called blackheads — because they can indeed be black! As the atrocities were being committed, a woman (presumed owner of the back with the big blackheads) chatters away in the background about her kids, the weather, and even claims that she's going to show the video to her grandkids (I hope she did! Serves those grandkids right!). At one point, I found myself rooting for Dr. Lee to get a cyst out and I started to worry about my potential future as a popaholic.

What My Face Thought:

(Apologies to fellow travelers for watching these in the airport.)

"Popping GREAT Blackheads After Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery"

Dr. Pimple Popper on Why You Should Start Here:

If popping pimples on the FACE is more your style you may be as fascinated as I am with this guy’s nose. He was in to see me to get a skin cancer removed on his face, but I noticed that he had some really great blackheads in particular on his nose, and as you can see, with very little exertion, so many blackheads would emerge with one single push with my comedone extractor. Many people find this video very relaxing and satisfying.

If you want more blackheads in general, check out the YouTube stories on my channel on Mr. Wilson and Pops. They are very popular as well.

What I Thought:

Turns out, popping pimples on the face is more my style. I was relieved that Dr. Pimple Popper was performing her tricks on what was clearly a face because the slow zoom over the blackheaded back in the last video was a little too close to NASA footage of the surface of Mars for my comfort.

With just one signature wiggle of her extractor, Dr. Pimple Popper summoned multiple blackheads out of this man's nose. I can understand how if this is how you get your kicks, this video would be extremely satisfying, but I found the lack of variety less than thrilling and I missed the element of mystery and "what's behind door/pimple number three" that the first video contained. However, Dr. Pimple Popper's kindness definitely shines in this video and her rapport with her patient is beyond comforting.

You can find Mr. Wilson here and Pops here.

What My Face Thought:

"A Giant Blackhead Extracted In An 85 y.o Accompanied By Her Daughter."

Dr. Pimple Popper on Why You Should Start Here:

This is one of FIRST amazing DPOWs I filmed. This is a Dilated Pore of Winer, which is essentially a GIANT blackhead. The interaction between mother and daughter here is hilarious and it’s a great example of why I LOVE my patients and love being a dermatologist. It’s just simply and AMAZING video for popaholics and my most viewed video of all time on my channel.

What I Thought:

First things first — “DPOW” sounds like a Jersey Shore cast member and "Dilated Pore of Winer" sounds like a foreign dignitary slated to attend the Royal Wedding. It is neither of those things. It is a terrifying dark force that will haunt my nightmares for the rest of 2018. A pore can only fit so much, but this woman owns the clown car of pores, and I suppose that's called a dilated pore of Winer. I’m assuming all of you out there have popped a blackhead before, but how many of you have removed a blackhead with tweezers?! Not many! But apparently it's what you all want to see since it's her most popular video!

I will admit that the the patient’s refusal to see the final, um, product is actually very charming and meme-worthy. Plus, once again, Dr. Pimple Popper's bedside manner is shining and she's able to roll with every verbal punch and extraction. Final word of warning: This video is very disrespectful to coin purses everywhere.

What My Face Thought:

"Why So Many HUGE BLACKHEADS? Let's Find Out The Diagnosis! Session 1! Nickname: Momma Squishy"

Dr. Pimple Popper on Why You Should Start Here:

Going a little more edgy here… because many people didn’t know about steatocystomas, a particular type of cyst, until they saw some of them popped on my channel and now they are obsessed with them. This is Momma Squishy’s first session, and many people have fallen in love with this wonderful woman, and yes, I now call her a dear friend. Part of the love people have for her videos stems from the fact that she is a popaholic as well and LOVES to watch her own cysts popped from her skin. It’s pretty amazing to watch.

What I Thought:

The unfortunately-named Momma Squishy (I have to question who provided her with this monicker — I feel like that’s the type of thing you have to name yourself) fangirling over Dr. Pimple Popper while getting her pimples popped on camera is a Black Mirror episode in the making.

Dr. Lee’s description of this video as “a little more edgy” was absolutely accurate due to the absence of blackheads and overwhelming abundance of cysts. Even the title image is horrific, showcasing what appears to be a ribbon or a noodle happily spilling out of someone’s skin. IMO, ribbons should not come out of anyone’s skin. Neither should pasta. Ever. Under any circumstance. My second impression was amusement that the title ended with a question mark. Unfortunately, this video only led to more questions and no answers. Like why is there a small child present for this procedure? Will I ever be able to eat string cheese or linguine again? And have I become a popaholic if I’m curious to see what’s inside the next cyst?

If you, unlike me, can’t get enough of Momma Squishy, worry not my strange friend, this was only her first visit. You can enjoy more of Momma Squishy and her steatocystomas here.

What My Face Thought:

So, did the "Dr. Pimple Popper Primer" work in the end? Actually, it sort of did! While I've collected all of my crankiest thoughts in this article, I'm pretty sure that I'm actively resisting becoming a popping fan. I don't think I'll ever be the kind of person who watches them to relax before bed, but I did find them really exciting. Plus, they're surprisingly uplifting, in large part due to Dr. Lee's warm personality and genuine concern for her patients. She's even nice to the pimples, calling them "cute" and "adorable," even cooing at them like they're children. Clearly, Dr. Sandra Lee has found her own version of the Wall-E game I play whenever I see a cockroach, and perhaps these videos will allow you to do the same.