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What is Canova Medical?
Canova Medical is a UK clinic group focused on one thing: the diagnosis and removal of skin lesions and skin cancer. It describes itself as surgeon-led and CQC-registered, with clinics at Harley Street (London), Wilmslow (Cheshire) and Crosby (Liverpool), and a fourth site planned. It has operated since 2004.
Its stated position is deliberately narrow — "We remove lesions. Nothing else." That means no fillers, lasers or general cosmetic add-ons. The trade-off is straightforward: you get a team that repeats the same procedures constantly, but you would not go here for broader dermatology or aesthetic work.
What it treats
- Skin cancer checks, dermoscopic assessment and excision with histology
- Moles, cysts, lipomas, dermatofibroma, keloids
- Warts, verrucas, skin tags, milia, seborrhoeic keratosis
- Ingrown nails
How the process is described
The site presents a short path from enquiry to removal, often within hours or days, with assessment and surgery by specialist surgeons and no GP referral required. Consultations are framed as leading directly to a treatment plan rather than a standalone opinion, and fixed fees are advertised.
Who it suits
- Someone with a specific lump, mole or lesion who wants it assessed and removed quickly, privately, without waiting on a GP referral.
- A patient who values seeing a surgeon rather than a general practitioner or aesthetic practitioner.
- Anyone who needs histology and a follow-up pathway after excision.
It is less suited to you if you want a single provider for general skin health, chronic skin conditions such as eczema or acne, or cosmetic procedures.
Practical next step
Before booking, decide which of the two routes applies: a skin cancer check (assessment first, possible excision later) or a removal of an already-identified lesion. Then check the fees page and confirm which clinic and which surgeon you would see, since the group operates across several sites. If a lesion is changing, bleeding or new, treat the skin cancer check as the priority rather than a cosmetic removal.
Do I need a GP referral to book a consultation at Canova Medical?
No. Canova Medical states that you can book a consultation directly, without a GP referral.
That makes it a practical route if you already have a specific concern — a changing mole, a cyst, a lipoma, a skin tag or another lump — and want a surgeon-led assessment rather than waiting to see a GP first. The site describes assessments and removals performed by surgeons in CQC-registered clinics, with appointments often available within hours or days of your first enquiry.
A sensible next step is to decide which pathway matches your concern before booking:
- Skin cancer check or suspicious lesion: book a skin check or excision consultation. If you have a lesion that is changing, bleeding, itching or not healing, say so when you enquire so it is triaged appropriately.
- Benign lump or bump: a straightforward consultation for cyst, lipoma, mole, skin tag or similar removal.
- Ingrown nail: book under the nails service rather than the general lesion pathway.
Two practical points. First, private self-referral means you will usually pay for the consultation and any procedure, so ask about fixed fees for your specific treatment when you book. Second, if you have already seen a GP or dermatologist, bring any notes, photos or histology reports — it can save time and avoid duplicate assessment.
For comparison, NHS removal of a benign lesion is often low priority and may not be funded, while private providers generally accept self-referral. If you want a second opinion on whether a lesion needs removing at all, a GP appointment is still a reasonable first step. You can check current details, clinic locations and fees at Canova Medical.
How much does private mole, cyst or lipoma removal cost at Canova Medical?
Canova Medical does not publish specific procedure prices on the page evidence supplied, so an exact figure for mole, cyst or lipoma removal cannot be quoted here. What the clinic does state is that it works on fixed fees and that no GP referral is needed — meaning you can book a consultation directly and should expect a defined price for the procedure rather than an open-ended surgical bill.
For the actual numbers, the practical step is to check the clinic's own Fees page or request a quote when you book a consultation. Ask specifically whether the quoted fee covers:
- The initial consultation and assessment
- The removal procedure itself
- Histology (laboratory testing of the removed tissue), which matters for moles and anything suspected of being skin cancer
- Any follow-up appointment or suture removal
- Treatment of a lesion that turns out to need a wider excision
That last point is the main financial risk with lesion removal: a mole that looks straightforward may need a second, larger excision if histology shows something unexpected. A fixed fee that includes histology and follow-up is therefore more valuable than a lower headline price that excludes them.
How to compare quotes fairly
| Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is the fee fixed or an estimate? | Estimates can rise after assessment or histology |
| Is histology included? | Essential for moles and suspected skin cancer |
| Who performs the procedure? | Canova states procedures are surgeon-led |
| What happens if wider excision is needed? | Determines your worst-case cost |
| Are follow-up visits included? | Avoids add-on charges |
A concrete scenario
Suppose you have a raised mole on your back and a lipoma on your forearm. At a fixed-fee clinic you would typically pay for a consultation, then a set price per lesion removed, with histology either bundled in or charged separately. Because Canova treats only lesions and skin cancer, its pricing structure is likely to be more predictable for this kind of work than a general cosmetic clinic that also offers injectables and lasers — but you still need the fee schedule in writing before committing.
If you want to benchmark against other UK providers while you wait for Canova's fee list, NHS explains when removal is available on the NHS (usually when medically indicated), which is worth knowing before paying privately for a lesion that might qualify for free treatment.
How quickly can I get a skin cancer check or lesion removal appointment?
Canova Medical says it aims to assess and remove lesions "usually within hours or days from your first enquiry," and it promotes same-day removal appointments at its London (Harley Street), Wilmslow and Crosby (Liverpool) clinics. It also states that no GP referral is needed, so you can book a consultation directly. Treat those as the clinic's own stated aims rather than a guaranteed slot: the actual wait depends on which clinic you choose, what you're having done, and whether the surgeon decides on the day that removal is appropriate.
Practical next step: enquire with your preferred clinic, give the exact location and size of the lesion, and ask two things — the earliest consultation date, and whether removal can be done at that same visit or needs a separate appointment. If you suspect skin cancer, say so when you enquire, as that usually changes how the clinic prioritises you.
What tends to affect the wait
- Clinic location — Harley Street is likely to be the busiest; the Cheshire and Liverpool sites may have shorter waits.
- Procedure type — a skin tag or milia removal is a quick in-room job; a suspected skin cancer excision involves margins, histology and follow-up, so it can be staged differently.
- Whether removal is confirmed at consultation — the assessment comes first, and the treatment plan is recommended during it.
- Time of year — demand for skin checks rises in and around summer.
If speed matters most
A GP referral through the NHS suspected-cancer pathway is free and, for urgent cases, is meant to be seen within two weeks — worth considering if cost is a factor or the lesion looks suspicious. Going privately, as with Canova, mainly buys you a shorter wait and a named surgeon. If you want to compare private options, look at other CQC-registered skin surgery providers such as NHS for pathway guidance or Bupa for private dermatology and skin surgery referrals, and check each provider's actual next available date rather than its advertised one.
How do Canova Medical's skin cancer removal and histology services compare with waiting for NHS treatment?
Canova Medical is a private, surgeon-led clinic group focused only on skin lesions and skin cancer, with locations in London (Harley Street), Wilmslow and Crosby near Liverpool. The core practical difference from waiting for NHS treatment is speed and continuity: the clinic says assessments and removals are usually arranged within hours or days of your first enquiry, and it performs excision, sends the tissue for histology, and manages follow-up itself. No GP referral is needed, and fees are described as fixed.
Where the private route helps most
- Time-sensitive lesions. If a mole has changed, is bleeding or is growing, waiting weeks or months for an NHS dermatology appointment delays both diagnosis and any needed excision. Going private compresses assessment, removal and histology into a short window.
- Certainty of a plan. You see a surgeon at the consultation, so the decision to excise (or not) is usually made there and then, rather than after a separate referral step.
- Histology and follow-up. The clinic handles the lab report and the follow-up pathway itself, so you are not chasing results across different services.
- Convenience. Evening or weekend appointments and three (soon four) locations suit people who cannot easily take time off.
Where the NHS route still makes sense
- Suspected melanoma or complex cancer. NHS cancer pathways are set up to move quickly once you are on them, and treatment is free. If a GP flags a possible melanoma, the two-week urgent referral route is often the right first move.
- Cost sensitivity. Private excision, histology and any follow-up are paid for by you. The clinic advertises fixed fees, but the total depends on the lesion, the number of specimens and whether further treatment is needed — confirm the full figure in writing before booking.
- Ongoing or multiple conditions. If you have many lesions or a condition needing long-term surveillance, NHS dermatology may be more sustainable financially.
A practical comparison
| Factor | Canova Medical (private) | NHS wait |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Book directly, no GP referral needed | Usually via GP referral |
| Typical timing | Assessment and often removal within hours or days | Variable; urgent suspected cancer is fast, routine waits can be long |
| Who you see | Speciality surgeons and dermatologists | Dermatologist or plastic surgeon, depending on referral |
| Histology | Included in the clinic's pathway | Included, via NHS labs |
| Cost | Fixed fees, paid by you | Free at the point of use |
| Best for | Fast removal of a worrying or nuisance lesion, convenience | Suspected melanoma, complex cancer, cost-sensitive or long-term care |
How to decide
If a lesion is changing, itching, bleeding or asymmetric, get it looked at quickly — that is the priority regardless of route. If your GP can offer an urgent suspected-cancer referral, take it. If the wait is long, the lesion is not obviously urgent, or you simply want it removed and analysed without delay, a private clinic like Canova Medical is a reasonable option. Ask two questions before booking: what exactly the fixed fee covers (consultation, excision, histology, follow-up, any second procedure), and what happens if the histology shows something requiring further treatment.
You can compare the clinic's own detail at Canova Medical and check NHS skin cancer referral guidance at NHS.
What should I expect during a consultation and removal appointment at Canova Medical?
A consultation at Canova Medical is a single-speciality appointment: a surgeon or dermatologist assesses the lesion, recommends a treatment plan, and — where suitable — can remove it in the same visit. The clinic describes itself as surgeon-led, CQC-registered, and focused only on diagnosis and removal of skin lesions and skin cancer, with histology (lab testing of removed tissue) as part of the pathway.
At the consultation
- Dermoscopic assessment of the specific lesion or a full-body skin check, depending on what you book.
- A recommended plan: excision, shave removal, or watch-and-wait/monitor.
- A discussion of likely scarring, aftercare, and whether histology is needed.
- For skin cancer concerns, an explanation of margins and follow-up.
At the removal appointment
- The procedure is performed by a surgeon; most lesion removals are done under local anaesthetic.
- Same-day removal is offered where the surgeon judges it appropriate — useful if you want one trip rather than two.
- If the lesion is sent for histology, results and any further steps are communicated afterwards.
Practical scenario: if you have a mole that has changed shape or colour, you might book a skin cancer check; if it needs removal, the surgeon can often excise it at the same appointment, then you receive histology results and a follow-up plan. For a straightforward cyst or skin tag, the pathway may be even shorter.
Useful next step: before booking, confirm three things — whether your specific lesion can be treated same-day, the all-in fixed fee including histology, and which surgeon will see you. Canova Medical lists London (Harley Street), Wilmslow and Crosby (Liverpool) clinics, with no GP referral required. If you want to compare regulated providers, Care Quality Commission lets you check registration status.
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