Mr. Onur Gilleard
Qualifications & Experience
Mr Onur Gilleard is a distinguished consultant plastic surgeon on the GMC specialist register. He previously held an NHS consultant post at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, specialising in skin cancer and microsurgical reconstruction. In 2021, Mr Gilleard transitioned from the NHS to dedicate himself fully to private practice, allowing him to focus exclusively on providing personalised, high-quality care to his patients. He is recognised as an expert in laser treatments, having conducted research and developed advanced treatment protocols using cutting-edge laser technology to optimise both clinical outcomes and cosmetic results.
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For patients in St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead and across Hertfordshire, private genital wart removal offers a discreet, same-day alternative to waiting: seen and treated by one consultant, in a private room, most often by cautery and curettage under local anaesthetic, from £300. Genital warts come from low-risk HPV that doesn’t cause cancer. This guide covers how private care compares with a free NHS GUM clinic, the methods, discretion, recurrence and cost — no GP referral needed.
Discreet Care for Hertfordshire
A genital wart diagnosis is understandably a private matter, and discretion is often what people most want. London Skin Clinic, led by GMC-registered consultant plastic surgeons, has a St Albans location as well as Harley Street in central London, serving patients across Hertfordshire — St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Harpenden and beyond. You’re seen in a private consulting room by one clinician throughout, and nothing is placed on shared records without your consent. You can book directly without a GP referral. For many Hertfordshire patients the appeal is exactly this combination — a short journey or a Harley Street visit, a single confidential appointment, and treatment on the same day rather than a wait and repeat visits elsewhere.
Private vs a Free NHS GUM Clinic
It’s worth being straight about this. NHS sexual health (GUM) clinics treat genital warts free, are competent, and are perfectly fine for many people — if cost is the priority, they’re a good option. Private care is worth it for speed, discretion, seeing the same consultant, a choice of removal method, and same-day treatment rather than a series of repeat cryotherapy visits. Neither is “better” in the abstract; it depends on what matters most to you. What Hertfordshire patients get with us is a single discreet appointment with a consultant who both diagnoses and treats.
How We Remove Genital Warts
Our approach is prompt physical removal of the visible warts, matched to their number, size and site. Most external genital warts are removed by cautery and curettage under local anaesthetic; for larger or recurrent warts we use CO2 laser or excision, and for multiple small warts, cryotherapy. Ordinary antiviral tablets do nothing for HPV — that’s a common myth worth correcting — and home “wart removers” sold for hands and feet are not safe on genital skin. Full method detail is in our genital wart removal guide, and the background on the virus in understanding genital warts & HPV.
What to Expect on the Day
In most cases this is a see-and-treat appointment — assessed and removed the same day, so you don’t return for a separate procedure. The consultation confirms the diagnosis (a few other things can look similar), the options are explained without judgement, and treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic where needed. Aftercare is simple: keep the area clean, expect some soreness for a few days, and avoid sexual contact until it has healed. We treat external peri-anal warts too; anything inside the anal canal, or any suspicion of internal disease, is referred to a colorectal colleague, so you’re always seen by the right specialist. If you’re unsure whether what you’ve noticed is a wart at all, that uncertainty is exactly what the consultation resolves before anything is treated — several harmless things can look similar, and confirming the diagnosis first is part of good care.
Recurrence — and Blame
Warts can return after treatment — around 20–30% recur within the first three months, whatever the method, because that’s the virus rather than a failure of treatment, and recurrent warts are simply re-treated. One point matters more than any statistic: HPV can lie dormant for months or years, so a new wart in a long-term relationship is not evidence of recent infidelity — it’s usually an old infection surfacing. Framed as information rather than accusation, that fact spares a great deal of unnecessary hurt. More in genital wart recurrence.
Cost and Booking
Genital wart removal is £300 (each additional wart £200), with a £100 consultation. The full cost is confirmed before any procedure; cover for STI-related treatment varies between private insurers, so check your policy, though self-funding is straightforward. No GP referral is required. View the genital wart removal procedure · book a discreet consultation or call 0203 916 6200.
Your Questions, Answered
- How discreet is private genital wart treatment?
- You’re seen in a private consulting room by one consultant throughout, and nothing is placed on shared records without your consent. Booking is direct, without a GP referral.
- Should I just use the NHS GUM clinic?
- It’s a good, free option and fine for many people. Private care is worth it for speed, discretion, one consultant, a choice of method, and same-day treatment rather than repeat cryotherapy visits.
- Do genital warts cause cancer?
- No. The types that cause visible genital warts (mainly HPV 6 and 11) are low-risk and don’t cause cancer. The high-risk cancer-linked types are separate and usually cause no visible warts. Routine cervical screening still matters for its own reasons.
- Does a new wart mean my partner cheated?
- Almost never. HPV can lie dormant for months or years, so a new wart in a long relationship is usually an old infection surfacing, not evidence of recent infidelity.
- How much is private genital wart removal in Hertfordshire?
- Genital wart removal is £300 (each additional wart £200) plus a £100 consultation. The full cost is confirmed beforehand, and no GP referral is needed.
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