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Acne

127 Dermatology & Venereology doctors in Hong Kong →

Also known as: Pimples · Acne vulgaris ·

Acne begins with increased oil production by the sebaceous glands. When oil cannot drain from a follicle it builds up and forms a blackhead; if that becomes infected with bacteria it inflames into a spot. Oil production rises during puberty, which is why acne is commonest then — but it is not confined to teenagers.

Hong Kong has 127 registered Dermatology & Venereology doctors.

Source: Medical Council of Hong Kong register · read 2026-09-20

ok.med editorial team ·
Compiled by the editorial team from the sources listed below. Not reviewed by an individual doctor.

How does acne form?

The Department of Health’s Student Health Service sets it out in stages: the sebaceous glands produce oil to lubricate the skin and keep hair from drying out, and production increases during puberty. When that oil cannot drain from a follicle it builds up, hardens and darkens into a blackhead. If the blackhead becomes infected with bacteria it reddens, inflames and becomes a spot.

The sequence matters in practice: a blackhead is not dirt but trapped oil that has darkened, so scrubbing harder does not wash it away. The step from blackhead to inflamed spot involves bacteria, which is why keeping hands clean and away from the area makes a difference.

What makes acne worse?

The factors listed by the Student Health Service are unclean skin, frequently eating oily food, stress and insufficient sleep. In some women hormonal changes before menstruation also increase the likelihood of spots.

The factors listed by the Student Health Service, and what each means day to day
FactorWhat the Department saysWhat it means day to day
Skin cleansingUnclean skin may increase acneMild soap and warm water are advised — not harder scrubbing
DietFrequently eating oily food may increase acne; it advises cutting fried food, chocolate, pastries and fatty meatThis is the Department’s advice to students, reported here as given
StressStress may increase acneConsistent with flares during exams or pressured periods at work
SleepInsufficient sleep may increase acneRegular sleep and exercise are advised
HormonesIn some women, hormonal changes before menstruationCyclical flares are a recognised pattern, not a failure of care

Medical Council of Hong Kong register

127 Dermatology & Venereology doctors in Hong Kong

All 127 ›

The doctors below are listed from the Medical Council of Hong Kong register. This is not a recommendation, and says nothing about outcomes for this condition. Ask the doctor directly.

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What should be avoided?

The Student Health Service gives three specific warnings: never squeeze spots; do not pick the scab off while it is healing but let it come away by itself, so as not to cause scarring; and do not take medicines indiscriminately.

Squeezing and picking are singled out because what they cause is not temporary. A spot usually settles; a scar does not. It is also why this page recommends no medicine — the Department has already said not to take medicines indiscriminately, and what to use is for the treating doctor to decide.

What does day-to-day care involve?

The Student Health Service’s advice covers cleansing, diet, routine and mood. On washing it is specific: wash the face regularly, using a mild soap and warm water, to remove excess oil and dirt from the skin.

Worth noticing are the words “mild” and “warm”. Harsh cleansers or water that is too hot damage the skin barrier, and a damaged barrier brings problems of its own. The aim of cleansing is to remove excess oil, not to strip the skin dry.

The other three — a regular routine with exercise, avoiding stress, keeping a positive frame of mind — will not clear spots in the short term. That the Department lists them alongside cleansing indicates this is a condition bound up with overall state rather than a purely surface problem.

At a glance

How acne forms: oil production rises in

How acne forms: oil production rises in puberty, oil that cannot drain from the follicle builds up into a blackhead, and bacterial infection of that blackhead produces an inflamed spot.
Source: Student Health Service, Department of Health · Read the original ›

What is the route if it is severe?

The Student Health Service advises seeing a doctor where the condition is severe. In the public system dermatology is provided by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, and waiting times are triaged by severity, with a very wide gap between the two streams.

Replying to the Legislative Council in November 2023, the Government published that all severe skin disease new cases at Department of Health dermatology clinics were seen within eight weeks, at a median of 2.9 weeks, while other stable new cases waited a median of 90 weeks, with a longest wait of 183. These figures are not specific to one diagnosis; they are the triage categories.

The scale of the same service explains why triage exists: the Department’s social hygiene service handles roughly 300,000 attendances a year, of which more than 200,000 are for skin conditions. For acne that means most cases are handled first in primary care, and whether a specialist referral follows depends on severity.

How does the public dermatology route work here?

There are no public service figures specific to acne, but it shares a referral path with other skin conditions — so the triage categories and waits at Department of Health dermatology clinics are what a severe case actually meets.

  • Department of Health dermatology clinics, severe skin disease new cases: all seen within eight weeks, at a median of 2.9 weeks (2023 to 30 September).LegCo Question 17 (8 November 2023) · read · (source)
  • At the same clinics, other stable new cases: a median wait of 90 weeks and a longest wait of 183. How a referral is triaged therefore decides the order of magnitude of the wait.LegCo Question 17 (8 November 2023) · read · (source)
  • The Department of Health’s social hygiene service handles roughly 300,000 attendances a year, of which more than 200,000 are for skin conditions.LegCo Question 4 (28 November 2018) · read · (source)
  • The Department of Health’s Student Health Service advises consulting a doctor where the condition is severe, and states explicitly not to take medicines indiscriminately.Student Health Service, Department of Health: Puberty (for students) · read · (source)

When should a doctor be seen?

  • Where the condition is severe — the Student Health Service’s own threshold for seeing a doctor.
  • Visible scarring, or pitting and pigmentation left behind after spots settle.
  • Persistent redness, pain or pus, or an area that keeps spreading.
  • Continued worsening despite the care above, or flares becoming more frequent.
  • Distress about appearance affecting mood, social life or daily activity — equally a legitimate reason to seek help.

Each has its own page and doctor list

Conditions related to Acne

By district

Which districts have Dermatology & Venereology doctors?

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I squeeze a spot?
The Student Health Service states plainly not to squeeze spots, and not to pick the scab off while it is healing but to let it come away by itself, so as to avoid scarring. A spot usually settles; a scar does not.
Does fried food really cause spots?
The Student Health Service lists frequently eating oily food among the factors that may increase acne, and advises cutting down on fried food, chocolate, pastries and fatty meat. That is the Department’s advice to students, reported here as given; how far it applies in an individual case is for a doctor to assess.
Will washing more often help?
The Department does advise washing regularly, but specifies a mild soap and warm water. Harsh cleansers or water that is too hot damage the skin barrier; the aim is to remove excess oil, not to strip the skin dry.
Is a blackhead dirt?
No. On the Department’s account a blackhead is oil that could not drain from the follicle, hardening and darkening as it oxidises. Scrubbing harder does not remove it and may irritate the skin.
Do adults get acne?
Yes. Oil production rises during puberty, which is when acne is commonest, but the Department also notes that hormonal changes before menstruation increase the likelihood of spots in some women — so it occurs in adulthood too.
How long is the public dermatology wait?
On the Government’s 2023 figures, severe skin disease new cases at Department of Health dermatology clinics waited a median of 2.9 weeks, all within eight; other stable new cases waited a median of 90 weeks, with a longest of 183. Triage decides the order of magnitude.

Sources

  1. Student Health Service, Department of Health: Puberty (for students) — how acne forms, its causes, care and what to avoid. Student Health Service, Department of Health ()
  2. LegCo Question 17 — Department of Health dermatology waiting times by triage category, applying to skin disease referrals generally. HKSAR Government Press Release (8 November 2023) ()
  3. LegCo Question 4 — the volume of skin disease work in the Department of Health’s social hygiene service. HKSAR Government Press Release (28 November 2018) ()

This page is compiled from the Hong Kong official sources listed above. It is general information only — not a diagnosis, a treatment recommendation or medical advice, and no substitute for seeing a doctor. If you are unsure or your condition changes, consult a registered doctor.