People in Ho Chi Minh City have been making regular appointments at local hospitals for beauty treatments in the hope of welcoming the Lunar New Year (Tet) with confidence.

Doctors at beauty departments in infirmaries in the southern Vietnamese hub have reported a sharp increase in the number of patients recently.

Most people coming to the clinics were interested in treatments including removing acne, skin whitening and body hair removal among several others.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday afternoon, while pointing at the pimples on her face, C.T.H.T., 24, a resident of Thu Duc District, said that she had receive acne treatment at the Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology for over a month, with about 50 percent of her usual breakouts removed.

T. hoped that she would be ready to welcome the Lunar New Year, which is due on January 28, with confidence, joy, and clear skin.

The Tet holiday is when T. and her family members and friends gather for a reunion, the young woman said, adding that she would often shy away from photographs because of her acne.

The woman had sought therapy at multiple spas around the city, which were not effective, before deciding to come to the hospital following the recommendation of a friend.

According to Tran Kim Phuong, a senior doctor at the Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology, the number of people seeking beauty treatments at the facility was about 1,400 in December 2016, about 400 higher than on an average month.

Dr. Pham Dinh Lam from the beauty department at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City also reported a significant increase at the clinic.

Most patients want treatment for their acne, acne scars, melasma, facial wrinkles, and skin whitening, Dr. Lam elaborated.

Instant beauty possible?

According to Dr. Phuong, many patients expressed their wish to have instant results, or in under a month, which is not possible.

Acne treatment requires a thorough course which can take several months, the expert said, adding that a rushed treatment would damage skin.

Medicine prescribed to treat the infection also takes a few months to start taking effect, she added.

For female patients, doctors recommend a foundation which allows makeup on acne-prone skin, helping them prepare for urgent occasions.

The same also applies to permanent hair removal, Dr. Phuong said, adding that the treatment could take between one and two years.

Any attempt to remove body hair instantly would result in thicker hair, which would pose further difficulty for the treatment, the doctor explained.