Get that fatty lump taken out properly

The pre-op assessment is £75. Removal of a single lipoma up to 3 cm starts at £600. A larger lipoma of 3 cm to 5 cm starts at £875, and two lipomas removed in the same visit start at £895. These are starting prices. The final all-inclusive fee depends on size, depth, site and complexity, and is confirmed at your assessment before any surgery is booked.

Because a lump has to be examined in person before anyone operates on it. At the £75 assessment your surgeon confirms the lipoma, checks it is safe to remove, plans the incision, and gives you a firm price. It is also your chance to ask everything. If you decide not to go ahead, you simply pay for the consultation and leave with a clear answer.

You will feel a sting as the local anaesthetic goes in, and after that the area is completely numb. You should feel pressure and movement but no pain. Mild soreness for a day or two afterwards is normal and paracetamol is usually enough for it.

Yes. Lipoma removal is done under local anaesthetic, so you are awake throughout and you can drive yourself home. There is no sedation, no fasting and no general anaesthetic for a standard lipoma.

Any surgical removal leaves a mark. Our surgeons keep the incision as small as the lipoma allows, follow the natural lines of the skin where possible, and close with fine sutures. Most scars fade a great deal over 6 to 12 months. If the lipoma is somewhere visible, talk the cosmetic side through at your pre-op.

Most patients are back at office work within 24 to 48 hours. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for two weeks, then ease back into it from week three. Stitches usually come out at 7 to 14 days, and your surgeon reviews the wound at 4 weeks.

When the lipoma is removed complete with its capsule, regrowth in the same spot is uncommon. Some people are simply prone to lipomas and develop new ones elsewhere over time, which is not the same thing as the original one returning. Your surgeon will explain what to expect in your case.

The vast majority are entirely harmless. What matters is being sure it is a lipoma in the first place. A lump that grows quickly, feels hard or fixed, becomes painful, or changes the skin over it needs proper assessment rather than cosmetic removal, and that is what the pre-op is for. If anything looks unusual, we arrange the right investigation, such as an ultrasound scan, before any decision is made.

For a lump that is clearly a lipoma, histology is often not needed. If there is any clinical doubt, your surgeon may recommend sending the specimen to the lab, which carries an additional laboratory fee. That is discussed and quoted at your consultation, never sprung on you afterwards.

Yes. Two lipomas removed in the same visit start at £895 and take around 70 minutes, which is quicker and cheaper than two separate procedures. If you have more than two, bring them all to the pre-op and your surgeon will advise on what can sensibly be done in one sitting.

No. You can book the pre-op assessment yourself, online or by calling 029 2199 9300. If you would rather have the lump looked at by a doctor first, a private GP appointment is another way in.

Yes. We work with Bupa, AXA Health, WPA, Vitality, Aviva, Cigna, Healix, Saga and Allianz, and we will help with the pre-authorisation paperwork. Contact us with your insurer details and policy number and we will advise. Self-pay prices are listed above.

Your £75 pre-op assessment can be at either clinic, Penarth or Cowbridge, whichever is easier to get to. The procedure itself is carried out at Penarth, 13 Washington Buildings, Stanwell Road, CF64 2AD, about 10 minutes from Cardiff city centre with free street parking. Our Cowbridge clinic is at Beauty Within, 10 High Street, CF71 7AG.