Dr. Lee Assists with a Rhinophyma Case! (S2) | Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out | Lifetime

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:01]You ready for this?

[00:00:02][sighing] I am.

[00:00:04]I'm Ken, I'm 65 years old, from Houston, Texas.

[00:00:06]I'm here with my wife of 31 years, Diane, and I've got some thickening skin of my nose.

[00:00:14]My nose sometimes reminds me of like a witch's nose during Halloween.

[00:00:18]When I look in the mirror, I see myself and then when I get to my nose, it does not look like me.

[00:00:23]What a beautiful morning.

[00:00:25]Can you take some of this weather back with us to Texas?

[00:00:27]One side of my nose looks like it has a raisin attached to it, and the other side looks like a small brain.

[00:00:33]The tip of my nose, as well as both sides are kind of bulbous.

[00:00:36]I believe this started happening probably about 12 to 15 years ago, and then just slowly progressed.

[00:00:43]When you see something every day, it's not as noticeable, and then it just snuck up on us.

[00:00:51][Diane] Thank you.

[00:00:52][Ken] I would say in the last two years, it's grown faster than the first 10 or 12.

[00:00:57]There seems to be some type of pus underneath.

[00:01:00]He'll have, um, like, a pimple rupture, and it's like it makes new skin, so it just keeps developing.

[00:01:07][Ken] There will be a discharge that comes out of the pores, and it doesn't smell particularly good.

[00:01:12]Probably like a, a wet sock.

[00:01:14]- I'm here to see Dr. Lee. - Hi. All right, go ahead and sign in for me.

[00:01:17]I do feel embarrassed with my condition.

[00:01:19]Thank you for doing this with me.

[00:01:21]No, I wouldn't, I wouldn't miss it, Ken.

[00:01:24]Give me a kiss.

[00:01:27]Hopefully that's the last time you got to take your glasses off.

[00:01:30]I hope so.

[00:01:31][Diane] I know he would feel better about himself if he looked more like himself when I met him.

[00:01:36]We'd both like each other, probably better.

[00:01:38]I got to lose 40 pounds, then.

[00:01:40][laughing] There we, there we go.

[00:01:43][Ken] Not sure exactly what caused it.

[00:01:44]It might be due to overexposure to the sun.

[00:01:48]Growing up, I, I played golf every day.

[00:01:50]As a PGA member and a head golf professional, I played on the PGA Tour for two years.

[00:01:55]I played with Jack Nicklaus, I played with Arnold Palmer.

[00:01:58]In front of large crowds, playing in front of television with my old nose.

[00:02:02]Playing golf, I was always seen, working at country clubs, teaching and giving golf instructions in front of people, and I just didn't want to be there anymore once the condition worsened.

[00:02:13][Diane] It makes him self-conscious.

[00:02:14]Yeah, it's not a good feeling to know that you're not what you were, and you're not sure if there was anything that could fix it.

[00:02:20]In public, someone sees someone with an affliction, - they will kind of move away. - [Diane] Or stare.

[00:02:26]And that's wrong, but that's the way it is.

[00:02:28]It makes me feel like I-- I'm not worthy or shouldn't be wanted.

[00:02:35]- Ken? - Yes.

[00:02:37][Ken] I visited three different dermatologists, and then called probably another 40.

[00:02:41]Right, right down to the left.

[00:02:43][Ken] And, uh, everyone was referring me to somebody else, and it was just a chain reaction.

[00:02:48]It is frustrating.

[00:02:49]Dr. Lee will be right in, okay?

[00:02:50]- Thank you. - You're welcome.

[00:02:52][Ken] One worry that I do have is that it may impair my breathing.

[00:02:56]No one was willing to help me, so we reached out to Dr. Lee, and hopefully she can do something.

[00:03:03]This is a, a preemptive strike to try to fix the problem before it occurs, and years down the road, it would be even worse than it is now.

[00:03:12]♪♪♪ [Dr. Lee] Ah! There you are.

[00:03:16]- Hi, how are you?

[00:03:17]You look busy over here. Nice to see you.

[00:03:19]Always busy, you too.

[00:03:20][Dr. Lee] Today, I have something special in mind for Dr. Lyndsey.

[00:03:23]She wants to learn how to perform rhinophyma surgeries.

[00:03:26]And last year, we treated a case together, which was a great introduction to how we do these.

[00:03:31][Dr. Lee] I'm trying to get this flush, you know what I'm saying?

[00:03:34]So today, I've handpicked a perfect patient who has a more approachable case.

[00:03:39]So today, we have a rhinophyma case.

[00:03:42]- It's a pretty minor one. - Okay.

[00:03:45]The last time was your first time doing rhinophyma.

[00:03:47]- Right. - And since you've already gotten your feet wet, I am going to have you take some of the lead here.

[00:03:52]- Okay. - And, like, certainly, that is the way I think you can learn the best.

[00:03:55]- How do you feel about this? - A little apprehensive.

[00:03:58]I, I know you're going to be there, but I just keep thinking about taking off too much.

[00:04:02]- and you can't put it back on. - Yes.

[00:04:04]Treating rhinophyma is super, super difficult.

[00:04:06]We don't learn this in residency.

[00:04:08]Not very many dermatologists do this.

[00:04:11]Dr. Lee is one of very few who performs rhinophyma treatment.

[00:04:15]This is a niche that I may be able to carry on, so I got to do this.

[00:04:22]- [Ken] Hello. - Hi.

[00:04:23]- How are you? - Hi, I'm Ken.

[00:04:25]Nice to meet you. This is Dr. Lindsey.

[00:04:27]- Nice to meet you. - Hi, nice to meet you.

[00:04:29]- Hi, nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.

[00:04:30][Dr. Lee] She's another dermatologist, she works, she works with me.

[00:04:33]to treat you together, ey - if that's okay. - Outstanding, perfect.

[00:04:35]- We'll take a look at it. - Sounds good.

[00:04:37][Dr. Lee] Is that okay? Okay.

[00:04:39]Let's see.

[00:04:41]So, yeah, he's got rhinophymatous nose, and he has it along his nostrils, too, and you can see where the normal skin is here, right?

[00:04:48]Underneath this nostril, right here, - where it kind of stops. - Oh, yeah.

[00:04:51]So there's oftentimes a little bit of demarcation.

[00:04:52]- Mm-hmm. - I know your nose feels very large, but there's actually not a lot of the thickening there.

[00:04:58]We can try to surgically thin out your nose a little.

[00:05:02]I mean, we just want to get like, about this much of the thickening off.

[00:05:05]Taking that fullness down will make a very big difference for him.

[00:05:09]So we're going to sculpt you together, - okay? - Perfect.

[00:05:12]We'll see you in a little bit, okay.

[00:05:13]- Outstanding. - Okay.

[00:05:15]- Bye, now. - [Dr. Lee] Bye.

[00:05:19][Dr. Lee] I'm going to start on this side myself.

[00:05:21]We'll be using the loop electrocautery that uses electricity to really cut through the skin like a hot knife through butter.

[00:05:30]Okay, I'm just going to put a little bit here, okay?

[00:05:32]Just going to test it a little bit.

[00:05:33]I'm going to start the procedure on Ken's right nostril.

[00:05:36]Before I hand things over to Dr. Lyndsey for his left nostril, I'm going to see where his real nose starts and where all this rhinophyma tissue ends.

[00:05:44][Dr. Lee] This not only cuts it, it shrivels it a little bit, too.

[00:05:48]I really want to remind Dr. Lyndsey how to use the right amount of pressure to debulk this rhinophyma.

[00:05:54]There's a lot of like, three-dimensional, knowing where your hands are at all times and making sure you don't get any area that's not numb.

[00:06:03][Dr. Lyndsey] I already see it, it's like sculpting.

[00:06:05][Dr. Lee] You can always come back and take more.

[00:06:06][Dr. Lyndsey] Right.

[00:06:07][Dr. Lee] It's not that easy to put it back.

[00:06:10][Dr. Lyndsey] Oh, I see, I see your vision.

[00:06:12][Dr. Lee] Now that I've gotten the bulk of Ken's right side off, this is the perfect time for Dr. Lyndsey to get a try.

[00:06:18]The key is just gliding that cautery over the tissue without pressing hard enough to create a divot, all while ensuring that the patient is comfortable.

[00:06:26]You want to get it to look like this side, essentially.

[00:06:33]Dr. Lee makes it look so easy.

[00:06:36]She looks like this artist that's like, creating a nose out of clay.

[00:06:40]But one slip up of this and there goes my career.

[00:06:42]No patient's going to trust that I know what I'm doing.

[00:06:45][Dr. Lyndsey] Let me pull this to the side, let me just pull this in.

[00:06:49]- Are you feeling that? - [electricity crackles] - [Ken] What's that? - [Dr. Lyndsey] Pain?

[00:06:54]- Just feeling a little...? - [Ken] Just a shock.

[00:06:56][Dr. Lyndsey] I don't want you to feel anything.

[00:06:57][electricity crackles] Yeah, I think that's nice, what you're doing there.

[00:07:03]Yes, perfect.

[00:07:04]It's like artwork, you know?

[00:07:06][Dr. Lee] Okay, I see Dr. Lyndsey picked up some momentum.

[00:07:10]Practice is the only way.

[00:07:11]She's getting a lot of great game time experience.

[00:07:14]You always have to know when to stop.

[00:07:16]Just a little bit, like right where my, you know, right there.

[00:07:20][Dr. Lee] Ken's nose doesn't look vastly different right now, but I'm going to have to see it once it's healed, and Dr. Lyndsey is one step closer to doing rhinophyma on her own.

[00:07:30]I think we're good right now.

[00:07:31]Everything looks nice and even.

[00:07:33]Great job, Dr. Lyndsey.

[00:07:35]His nose will look smaller in the end, but from before and after photos, I do see the difference, so I'm very proud of myself.

[00:07:43][Dr. Lee] Can you open your eyes?

[00:07:45]Hi, you look good.

[00:07:46][Dr. Lyndsey] There you go.

[00:07:48]What do you think?

[00:07:49][Dr. Lee] Doesn't look that much different, but smoother, you see, overall.

[00:07:54]- [Dr. Lyndsey] Second time. - [Dr. Lee] And it might take - just-- yeah. - Second time.

[00:07:57][Ken] Feeling really good.

[00:08:00]I can already tell that the bumps are gone, and it's smooth, and just a little inflamed.

[00:08:04]His nose is bigger, but more even.

[00:08:08]It's just an ama-- and also the, the treatment makes it swell.

[00:08:12]I can see where this is - smaller on this side. - [Ken] Mm-hmm.

[00:08:15][Dr. Lee] But it wasn't too bad.

[00:08:17]He's tough, though.

[00:08:18]- Thank you very much. - Thank you, - it was a pleasure. - Dr. Lee, - thank you. - [Dr. Lee] Of course.

[00:08:22]We're going to see you again, we're going to check up on you and do a little touch-up if we need to.

[00:08:25]- Okay. Sounds great, thank you. - [Dr. Lyndsey] Perfect.

[00:08:27]But I look forward to seeing what this nose looks like - when the swelling goes down. - [Dr. Lyndsey] Yeah.

[00:08:30]- Thank you. Bye! - Thank you.

[00:08:32]Dr. Lee is not only a great dermatologist, but she's a good artist.

[00:08:37]I was very happy with the outcome that Dr. Lyndsey did.

[00:08:41]I feel like I'm pretty close to being back to normal.

[00:08:42][Diane] I'm just really happy about Ken being more confident with himself.

[00:08:47]I think I'll have my husband back now.

[00:08:50]How do I look?

[00:08:51]- Better? - Yeah.

[00:08:52]Okay, good.

[00:08:53][Ken] I am very appreciative.

[00:08:55]Dr. Lee not only gave me a new nose, she gave me a new lease on life.

[00:09:05]- ♪♪♪ - [bird cawing] [Dr. Lee] It's been three months since I saw Ken, and his nose looks so good.

[00:09:15][Ken] Boy, what a difference.

[00:09:17]The texture of my nose is back to normal.

[00:09:19]It's soft and supple.

[00:09:20]Now I feel good about myself.

[00:09:22][Dr. Lee] He looks much more like the young golf pro he remembers.

[00:09:26][Ken] I'm back on the golf course, swinging the clubs and, uh, I can't see my nose throughout the day.

[00:09:31][Dr. Lee] He's back out in the world with more confidence than he's had in years.

[00:09:36]Looking good, Ken.