Lesion / Ulcer Test
STD9Recommended if you have sores, ulcers, or blisters.
What’s included
- Herpes PCR (high accuracy)
- Syphilis PCR
Results: 7 days£175
Book this screen
HSV PCR from a lesion
Herpes testing, from the source.
The most reliable way to confirm herpes (HSV) is a PCR swab taken directly from an active sore, ulcer or blister. Our Lesion / Ulcer Test does exactly that, and includes a syphilis PCR from the same lesion. Discreet and consultant-led.
What’s included Fixed prices, confirmed before any test is taken
- WhereWhitechapel, E197–99 Whitechapel Road · Aldgate East ~3 min walk
- AppointmentsSame weekAt a time you choose, often sooner
- Results7 daysresults
- SampleLesion swabhigh accuracy
- ConfidentialGP-led & discreetNo NHS-GP record unless you ask us
- Pricing£175fixed price
The test
Swab-based, highly accurate.
This test is designed for when you have a visible lesion. If you have symptoms but no current sore, or want blood-based screening, our GP can advise on the right approach at the appointment.
Confidentialfrom booking to results
How it works
How private STI testing works at our Whitechapel clinic
From booking to results, testing is quick, confidential and clinician-led.
- 1
Book
Reserve online or call — same-week, at a time you choose. No GP referral needed.
- 2
Confidential GP assessment
We discuss your exposures, symptoms and history and agree the right panel — no judgement.
- 3
Samples taken
Blood, urine or swab (including throat and rectal where relevant), taken discreetly on site.
- 4
Laboratory analysis
Samples are processed by The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), one of the UK's largest independent clinical laboratories.
- 5
Confidential results
Sent securely with a written summary — selected tests from one working day; most results in 1–7 days.
- 6
Treatment & follow-up
Private treatment on site for most infections; onward referral to NHS specialist services for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis or PEP/PrEP.
Good to know
If there’s no visible sore.
PCR swab testing needs an active lesion to sample, and is most accurate early, before a sore begins to heal — so book while symptoms are present. Blood tests for herpes antibodies exist but are less clear-cut and aren’t routinely recommended for people without symptoms; we’ll talk you through the options.
Syphilis
from 6 weeks (reliable at 12)
Serology becomes positive from around 6 weeks but isn’t fully reliable until 12 weeks after exposure. If a painless ulcer appears sooner, come in — we can take a PCR sample directly from the lesion.
Honest comparison
NHS sexual health services are free, excellent, and around the corner from us. If cost or speed isn’t your priority, they may be the better choice, and we’ll tell you so. What we add is same-week access, a single private appointment, and results in days — with no entry on your NHS GP record.
NHS or private? CompareBook a confidential appointment in Whitechapel
GP-led, same-week appointments at a time you choose — private, with no entry on your NHS GP record.
- Confidential & discreet
- Female doctor on request
- CQC-registered
- No GP referral needed
Transparent pricing
Transparent pricing. Expert care. No surprises.
All fees on our price list.
Full pricing for all consultations, procedures and reports is published on our price list. We do not charge separate appointment fees on top of quoted prices, and all costs are confirmed before any test, procedure or report is started.
The Tower Bridge difference
Care built around the visit, not the volume.
One clinician, enough time to be understood, and a written summary to take away — on every appointment.
- One clinician
- Time to be understood
- Written summary
Book a consultationTake a look around the clinic Meet the team
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you book.
Still unsure? Our team can help you choose the right test — in confidence.
Is this confidential? Will it appear on my NHS record?
Yes — consultations are confidential under GMC professional standards and UK GDPR. We do not write to your NHS GP about your sexual health visit by default. The visit doesn't appear on your NHS record unless you specifically ask us to inform your GP (which some people prefer for continuity of care).
NHS sexual health clinics work the same way — they also don't share with your GP by default. Sexual health is one of the most protected areas of confidentiality in UK medicine.
Will I see a female doctor?
Yes if you request one at booking — tell us and we'll match you to a female GP. For intimate examinations a chaperone is always offered. If you don't have a preference, you'll be booked with whichever GP is available the soonest.
How quickly will I get my results?
Most results in 1–3 working days for the basic panel. Hepatitis, herpes and mycoplasma can take up to 7 working days. We'll text or email you when results are ready, and book a results review consultation if anything is positive or needs discussion. Negative results are sent with a written summary.
What happens if a test comes back positive?
The doctor calls you, in a confidential conversation, to discuss the result and the next step. For most bacterial STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, mycoplasma) this is straightforward antibiotic treatment, prescribed privately or transferred to NHS sexual health. For HIV, hepatitis or syphilis we refer you to specialist NHS sexual health services — their expertise, infrastructure and free treatment are the right setting for these.
We'll also discuss partner notification — informing recent partners so they can be tested. We can help you do this anonymously through partner-notification services if that's easier than telling someone yourself.
Should I go to the NHS instead?
Both are good options and we'll be honest about which suits you. Private testing with us makes sense if you want a specific appointment time, a single visit with examination, tests and treatment together, results without a long wait, insurance-friendly private care, or simply the privacy of a paid clinic — with same-week appointments, selected results from one working day, and a female doctor on request.
The NHS is the better route if cost is the priority, or you need PEP/PrEP, free contraception, or care for complex or recurrent infections. The Ambrose King Centre at The Royal London Hospital (5 minutes away, walk-in, free) is an excellent consultant-led service, and we'll point you there when it's the right fit.
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Clinically approved
Reviewed and approved by Dr Haydar Bolat, Clinical Director at Tower Bridge Hospital London (UK-registered GP, GMC-registered). Prices, panels and testing-window guidance reflect our current pathways and BASHH guidance. Last reviewed: August 2026 · Next review due: August 2029 (3-year review cycle). Educational information only — not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Book
Discreet, consultant-led, no fuss.
Same-week appointments in Whitechapel, London. Private and confidential, with no entry on your NHS GP record. All prices are fixed and confirmed before any test is taken.