General and Laparoscopic Surgery in Lagos
Abscess and boil drainage in Lagos, priced before it is done
A written all-in price after a ₦35,000 consultation in Lagos, so you know the total before anything is booked.
How the price is set
Consultation, then a written price
₦35,000
Consultant surgical opinion
- The surgeon's fee for the drainage
- Local anaesthetic, or the anaesthetist and theatre where the abscess needs them
- Cleaning, packing and dressing the wound on the day
- A wound review while it heals
Your written price covers the lines above, agreed before you pay.
Abscess and Boil Drainage at Mezo Health in Lagos, Nigeria is priced in a written quote after a ₦35,000 consultation, because the right operation and its cost depend on what the surgeon finds. The quote covers the surgeon's fee for the drainage, plus a wound review while it heals. Prices last checked 23 October 2026.
An abscess is a collection of pus under the skin. It is opened through a small cut, the pus is let out, and the cavity is cleaned and packed so it heals from the inside. Most are drained under local anaesthetic as a day case, often at the same visit once you have agreed the price. Deeper abscesses, and those near the anus or in the breast, may need theatre and a general or spinal anaesthetic. The price is a written quote after the surgeon has examined you, because the size, the site and the anaesthetic change it.
Also called: Incision and drainage, I and D, Boil drainage, Abscess incision, Perianal abscess drainage
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
How the price is set
Written quote after consultation
Consultant surgical opinion: ₦35,000
Your price is a written quote after the examination, because it depends on how large and deep the abscess is, where it is, and whether it can be drained under local anaesthetic or needs theatre. It does not move without your written agreement.
What your written quote covers
- The surgeon's fee for the drainage
- Local anaesthetic, or the anaesthetist and theatre where the abscess needs them
- Cleaning, packing and dressing the wound on the day
- A wound review while it heals
Not in the quote
- The first consultation
- Dressing changes after the first few days, which a nurse or a clinic near you can do
- Antibiotics and painkillers to take home
- Blood tests, such as a blood sugar check, where the surgeon advises them
- Treatment of an anal fistula, if one is found, which is planned and priced separately
What decides your quote
- A large or deep abscess, or more than one
- A site that needs theatre and a general or spinal anaesthetic, such as near the anus or in the breast
- An overnight stay for fever, diabetes or a spreading infection
- Repeat packing and dressing visits
Many HMO plans cover abscess drainage. Bring your HMO number and the desk will check your cover and file any authorisation needed. If the plan declines, you are told the cash price before anything is done.
Who this is for
- A boil or abscess that is large, very painful, or has not drained after several days of warm compresses
- An abscess near the anus, or in the armpit, groin, buttock or breast
- An abscess that keeps filling up again after it bursts
- Anyone with diabetes or a weak immune system who has a collecting abscess
When it is not the right answer
- A small boil that is coming to a head and draining by itself, which usually heals with warm compresses
- Spreading redness without a collection of pus (cellulitis), which is treated with antibiotics rather than a cut
- Someone very unwell with a high fever, confusion or fast-spreading redness, who needs an emergency department today rather than a booking
- A lump that is not hot or tender and has grown slowly, which may be a cyst or a lipoma and is examined first
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Examination by a surgeon₦35,000
How large and deep the abscess is, and whether it can be drained under local anaesthetic.
- 2
Written price
What the drainage covers and what it costs, agreed in writing before anything is done.
- 3
The drainage
A small cut over the abscess, the pus let out, and the cavity washed and packed. Fifteen to thirty minutes under local anaesthetic; a deeper abscess goes to theatre.
- 4
Home the same day
With painkillers, dressing instructions, and antibiotics where they are needed.
- 5
Wound review₦25,000
The packing changed and the healing checked, usually within a few days.
Recovery, realistically
Days 1 to 3
The throbbing eases quickly once the pus is out. Keep the dressing clean and dry.
Week 1 to 2
The packing is changed or removed, and the wound heals from the base up.
Weeks 2 to 4
Most wounds close within a few weeks, depending on size. A small scar remains.
Risks you should be told about
- The abscess filling up again, especially if the skin closes over too early
- Bleeding from the wound
- Infection spreading, which needs antibiotics
- A scar, and keloid in skin prone to it
- An anal abscess leaving a fistula, a small tunnel that needs its own operation
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Does draining an abscess hurt?
The local anaesthetic stings for a few seconds, then the area goes numb. Most people feel relief straight away as the pressure goes. It is sore for a day or two afterwards.
Can I just take antibiotics instead?
Antibiotics cannot reach pus that is walled off, so an abscess usually needs draining. They are added when the infection is spreading or you have a fever.
Why is there no fixed price on this page?
Because a small boil drained in the clinic and a deep abscess drained in theatre are very different procedures. You get a written price after the examination, before anything is done.
Will it come back?
Most do not once properly drained. Boils that keep returning are checked for diabetes and for bacteria carried on the skin, which can be treated.
Prices shown are in naira and were last checked on 23 October 2026. A “from” price is the all-in starting price for the standard case. Every operation is confirmed in a written quote after your consultation, because the right operation for you, and its cost, depend on what the surgeon finds.