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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Several kinds of clinician can legally remove a lipoma in the UK, and that is precisely why the question is worth asking. The honest answer is that it depends far less on the job title than on three things: whether the lump is assessed properly before anything is cut, who closes the wound, and what happens if the histology is unexpected. A small forearm lipoma and a deep one on the back are not the same referral.
Who Can Remove One
| Clinician | Typically suited to | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| GP with a minor surgery interest | Small, superficial, clearly benign lumps | Availability varies by practice; usually within NHS criteria rather than for appearance |
| Dermatologist | Skin and superficial subcutaneous lesions | Strong on diagnosis; surgical scope varies considerably between individuals |
| General surgeon | Abdominal wall lumps, hernias, larger or deeper lesions | The right person when a hernia has not been excluded |
| Plastic surgeon | Any site, and the default where the scar is visible | Trained specifically in closure and scar placement |
| Sarcoma unit | Large, deep or radiologically suspicious fatty tumours | Where imaging raises a question, this is the correct pathway from the outset |
The overlap is real, and for a 2 cm lipoma on the forearm several of these produce an equally good result. The differences show up at the edges — and the edges are where things go wrong.
The Three Questions That Actually Matter
- Will the lump be assessed before it is removed? Most fatty lumps are exactly what they appear to be. A minority are not, and the features that separate them — size above about 5 cm, depth to the muscle fascia, growth over months rather than years, firmness, pain — are recognised at examination, not during surgery. Someone who reaches for a blade without first establishing what they are dealing with has skipped the step that matters most.
- Who closes the wound, and where will the scar sit? Removing fat is not the difficult part. Placing an incision along a natural skin crease, closing it in layers so the tension sits in the deep sutures rather than the skin, and managing the cavity left behind — that is what separates a fine line from a spread one. It is also the difference you cannot see until three months later.
- What happens if the histology comes back unexpected? Rare, but it is the question worth asking before rather than after. A clinician who can describe the next step without hesitating has thought about it. One who has not, has not.
Where the Lump Is Changes the Answer
- Face, neck, hands, décolletage — visible sites where the scar is the outcome. This is what plastic surgical training exists for.
- Groin, navel, abdominal midline, over an old scar — a hernia must be excluded first, because some hernias contain only fat and feel exactly like lipomas. A general surgeon is the right person if it is a hernia; see lipoma or hernia.
- Near named nerves — elbow, back of the knee, armpit, neck. Anatomy matters more than technique here, and the site changes the risk profile.
- Deep or intramuscular — not a clinic-room procedure. Imaging first, and usually a general anaesthetic — which at this clinic means its own theatre at Harley Street, not a referral elsewhere.
- Back, shoulder, thigh, forearm — the straightforward majority, where several types of clinician will do a good job.
What to Check Before Booking Anyone
- Are they on a GMC specialist register? The register is public and searchable, and it takes a minute. “Specialist in” is a claim; being on the register is a fact.
- Will the person you meet at the consultation be the one operating? Not always the same in every clinic, and worth asking directly.
- What is the plan if the lump turns out to be larger or deeper than expected? A clear answer suggests the case was thought through.
- Is histology available if the specimen warrants it? And is it quoted separately or included?
- Who do you contact after hours if the wound is a problem? The unglamorous question that matters at 9pm on a Saturday.
Note the terminology: the UK equivalent of “board-certified” is entry on the GMC Specialist Register. A site describing UK surgeons as board-certified is describing an American system.
The NHS Route
The NHS removes lipomas that cause functional problems, pain or diagnostic concern. It does not generally remove one for appearance, which is why most cosmetic removal is self-funded. That is a commissioning decision rather than a clinical judgement, and it is worth knowing which of the two you are being told.
Where a lump is growing quickly, feels fixed or deep, or is painful, the NHS route through a GP is both appropriate and fast, and paying privately does not move that case forward. The criteria are set out in removal on the NHS.
How It Works Here
Removal is carried out by a consultant plastic surgeon on the GMC Specialist Register, and the person who assesses the lump is the person who operates and who follows you up. Consultation is £100, removal £450, and each additional lipoma taken at the same visit £350.
Where a lump genuinely belongs elsewhere — a hernia, or anything with features suspicious for a sarcoma, which goes directly to a specialist sarcoma unit rather than being excised here — that is said at the consultation. A lipoma that is simply large or deep is not in that category: those are done under general anaesthetic in the clinic’s own theatre at Harley Street. Being clear about which lumps are ours and which are not is part of the job. Book: lipoma removal or contact the clinic.
Common Questions
- What type of doctor is best to remove a lipoma?
- For a visible site or where the scar matters, a plastic surgeon, because closure and scar placement are what the training is for. For an abdominal wall lump where a hernia has not been excluded, a general surgeon. For a large, deep or radiologically suspicious fatty tumour, a sarcoma unit. For a small superficial lump, several types of clinician will do equally well.
- Can my GP remove it?
- Some GPs run minor surgery lists and can remove small superficial lipomas. Availability varies between practices, and NHS removal generally requires the lump to be causing a problem rather than being unwanted.
- Dermatologist or plastic surgeon?
- Dermatologists are strong on diagnosis and many operate on skin lesions; surgical scope varies between individuals. Plastic surgeons are trained specifically in closure and scar management, which is the deciding factor when the site is visible.
- Do I need a GP referral to go privately?
- No. You can book a consultation directly. A referral may be needed if you intend to claim on private health insurance — most policies require one.
- How do I check someone’s credentials?
- Search the GMC register, which is public and free. Look for entry on the specialist register in the relevant specialty rather than the word “specialist” used as a description.
- Should the lipoma be sent for laboratory examination?
- Where the features warrant it. It is worth asking whether histology is available and how it is charged before you book, rather than assuming either way.
- What does private lipoma removal cost?
- Here, £100 for the consultation, £450 for the removal and £350 for each additional lipoma at the same appointment. Everything is quoted before treatment.
- What if the wrong person removes it?
- The realistic risks are a poorer scar than necessary, incomplete removal leaving the capsule behind so the lump recurs, and — in the abdominal wall — operating on a hernia in the belief that it was a lipoma. All three are avoided at the assessment rather than during the procedure.
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