Lumps and Bumps Removal Surgery

When you arrive at our outpatient clinic, your dedicated nurse will check your heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature. You’ll be asked to put on a gown to prevent staining your clothes. Your dermatologist will then talk you through exactly what will happen before, during, and after your procedure. 

Lumps and bumps removal surgery can usually be performed under local anaesthetic. This means you won’t feel any pain, but you’ll be awake for the procedure. If you have a larger lump, this may need to be surgically removed under a general anaesthetic. Your dermatologist will take your preferences into account and determine the best approach.

The procedure will vary depending on the type of lump you’re having removed. But, generally, it’ll follow these steps:

1. You’ll be given a local anaesthetic, and the area around the lump will be cleaned.

2. Once the area is numb, your dermatologist will make a cut over or around the lump before removing it.

3. Your dermatologist will close your cut with glue or stitches, which may or may not be dissolvable. 

4. A waterproof dressing will be applied to your wound.

The procedure usually takes around 30 minutes. If you had a local anaesthetic, you’ll be able to leave shortly after the procedure. If you had a general anaesthetic, you’ll be monitored for a few hours in our outpatient clinic before being able to return home.

This is a safe procedure, and most patients make an excellent recovery. 

However, all surgical procedures have some risks. These include:

• scarring

• infection

• bleeding

• bruising

• swelling 

• fluid buildup that may need to be removed

• further surgery if the lump isn’t completely removed

You won’t need to do much in preparation for your procedure. However, if you smoke, you’ll need to stop. Smoking increases your risk of getting a chest or wound infection, which can slow your recovery. 

You may be asked to stop taking certain medications before the procedure. Your dermatologist will let you know if that’s necessary. 

You can eat and drink as normal if you’re having a local anaesthetic. If you’re having a general anaesthetic, you’ll need to stop eating or drinking anything except for water 6 hours before your surgery. You’ll need to stop drinking water 2 hours before your surgery.

Depending on where your lump or bump is removed from on your body, you may not be able to drive home after. If you had a general anaesthetic, you must not drive for at least 24 hours after your procedure. In both scenarios, it’s best to arrange for someone to collect you after your procedure.

Your dermatologist may advise you to avoid exercise for up to 2 weeks. This may include swimming, going to the gym, running, or another strenuous activity. Usually, after 4 to 6 weeks, you can resume any exercise, including high-intensity training, weight training, and vigorous cardio.

If you have a desk job or work from home, it’s up to you to decide when you feel able to return to work. If you do manual work or your job involves travel, you may need to take some time off.

How to care for your wound

You can wear your waterproof dressing in the shower for the first week. At the end of the first week, you’ll need to remove the dressing. You should avoid baths and swimming pools for 2 weeks to reduce the risk of infection. After 2 weeks, your wound should be healed.

What to do if you have stitches

You won’t need to do anything if you have dissolvable stitches. Your body will dissolve them naturally.  

If you have stitches that aren’t dissolvable, they’ll need to be removed later. Your dermatologist will explain when the removal will need to happen.

Please contact our Skin Health centre for pricing information.

At Welbeck, our dermatologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

To book a lumps and bumps removal surgery, you must be referred by either your GP or a dermatologist following a consultation with them. Self-referrals are not accepted for this treatment.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with a dermatologist, please get in touch to make an appointment. Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.