The Wellness in Marylebone provides the fastest private assessment of unexplained bruising in London, with a same-day video consultation from £150 and a Targeted Blood Panel from £295, against haematology consultant first appointments of £250 to £500. Most bruising has an ordinary explanation, from a forgotten knock to medication, ageing skin or a supplement. The thresholds are what matter. NICE guideline NG12 asks doctors to arrange a very urgent full blood count within 48 hours for any adult with unexplained bruising, because it can be an early sign of leukaemia or a low platelet count. Von Willebrand disease, the commonest inherited bleeding disorder, affects around 1 in 100 people by laboratory testing, though far fewer have symptoms. The ISTH bleeding assessment tool treats a score of 4 or more in men and 6 or more in women as abnormal. And a rash that does not fade under a glass, with fever, is a medical emergency. Fees appear further down this page.
Reviewed by the medical team at The Wellness. Last updated 13 November 2026.
Arrange a bruising assessment or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
Why do I bruise so easily
A bruise forms when small blood vessels under the skin break and leak. Common, harmless reasons for bruising easily include thinner skin and more fragile vessels with age, sun damage on the forearms and hands, known as actinic purpura, and minor knocks you do not remember. Women tend to bruise more readily than men, and bruising on the shins and thighs is common in active people.
Medicines and supplements are the next most common cause. Anticoagulants, aspirin, clopidogrel, anti-inflammatory painkillers, steroid tablets or creams, and SSRI antidepressants all increase bruising. So can high doses of fish oil, ginkgo, garlic and vitamin E supplements. Heavy alcohol use and liver disease reduce clotting factors. Rarely, low vitamin C causes bruising and bleeding gums, seen with very restricted diets.
When is bruising a warning sign
Bruising is worth investigating when it appears without injury, is large or in unusual places such as the trunk, back or face, comes with tiny pinpoint red or purple spots called petechiae, or happens alongside nosebleeds, bleeding gums, heavy periods, blood in urine or stools, tiredness, fever, night sweats or weight loss. These patterns can point to a low platelet count, a clotting disorder or, occasionally, a blood cancer.
A non-blanching rash is the emergency to know. If spots or bruises do not fade when you press a glass against them, and you or someone else has a fever or feels very unwell, call 999 or go to an emergency department, because it can indicate meningococcal sepsis. Unexplained bruising in a child, or in an older adult who depends on others for care, must also be assessed promptly, including for safeguarding.
See a doctor about bruising this week or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
What tests are used to investigate bruising
The first tests are simple and decisive. A full blood count measures platelets, haemoglobin and white cells, and a blood film shows whether the cells look normal. A clotting screen, including prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, plus fibrinogen, checks how well blood clots. Liver and kidney function tests complete the picture. NICE NG12 asks for the full blood count within 48 hours when bruising is unexplained.
If the first tests are normal but the history suggests a bleeding tendency, such as prolonged bleeding after dental extraction or surgery, very heavy periods since your teens or a family history, further tests for von Willebrand disease and platelet function follow. A structured score such as the ISTH bleeding assessment tool helps decide who needs them. Bring a list of every medicine and supplement you take, and photograph bruises with a date.
What not to do or buy for bruising
Do not stop a prescribed anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicine on your own because of bruising, because the risk of a stroke or clot can be far greater than the bruise. Speak to a doctor first. Do not buy vitamin K or other supplements to treat bruising without a test, as vitamin K can interfere with warfarin and is rarely the cause.
Arnica creams may make a bruise look better but do not tell you why it happened. Large genetic bleeding panels and private haematology packages are not the right first step either, because a full blood count and clotting screen, costing a fraction of the price, answer most questions. If your tests are normal and the cause is medication or ageing skin, the right outcome is reassurance, not more testing.
What does a bruising assessment cost in London
At the top of the London market, private haematology consultants charge £250 to £500 for a first appointment, with specialist clotting and platelet function tests billed separately and comprehensive packages reaching over £1,000. Private hospital outpatient departments typically charge separately for the consultation, each test and the results appointment. Harley Street GP consultations sit at £250 to £350.
Beneath that sits a tier defined by its conditions rather than its price, home finger-prick tests with no consultation, no examination and no clinical pathway when a platelet count comes back low. Our fees, all from prices, are below.
- Home, hotel or office visit, evenings and weekends, from £695
- Comprehensive Blood Panel with consultation, from £495
- Home, hotel or office visit, daytime, from £495
- Extended 45-minute consultation, from £395
- Targeted Blood Panel, from £295
- In-person consultation, 30 minutes, from £220
- Same-day video consultation, 30 minutes, from £150
- Telephone consultation, up to 15 minutes, from £59
Why The Wellness is the best bruising assessment in London
Speed meets the NICE threshold. A same-day video consultation from £150 takes the history and arranges a full blood count, blood film and clotting screen, with blood collection arranged separately at an accredited partner laboratory near you, so results are typically back well within the 48 hours NICE NG12 sets. If you prefer, a doctor can examine you in Marylebone from £220 or at home from £495.
The second difference is what follows a result. Every result returns to the same doctor and one record, and a further review appointment goes through it with you. If a platelet count is low or a clotting test is abnormal, referral goes to a named consultant haematologist with the appointment booked, rather than a letter and a wait.
The third is honesty. We review your medicines and supplements before ordering tests, and we tell you when bruising is from ageing skin and needs nothing more. Consultations run in Arabic, French, Spanish and Dutch as well as English, and clients rate the care 4.9 out of 5 across 187 reviews.
Book a bruising consultation or call 020 3951 3429.
Related reading
To understand which blood tests are worth having, read Private blood test in London, which panel is right for you. Results that need interpreting are covered in Low lymphocytes on a blood test, when does it need a review and High ESR but normal CRP, what should you do next. Every GP service is on our Private GP in London page.
Frequently asked questions
When should I worry about unexplained bruising
See a doctor if bruises appear without injury, are large or on the trunk or face, or come with nosebleeds, bleeding gums, tiredness, fever or weight loss. NICE NG12 advises a full blood count within 48 hours for unexplained bruising in adults. The Wellness offers same-day video consultations from £150 and a Targeted Blood Panel from £295.
What blood tests check for easy bruising
The first tests are a full blood count, blood film, clotting screen with prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, and liver and kidney function. Further tests for von Willebrand disease follow if needed. At The Wellness a Targeted Blood Panel costs from £295 and a Comprehensive Blood Panel with consultation from £495.
Can medication cause bruising
Yes. Anticoagulants, aspirin, clopidogrel, anti-inflammatory painkillers, steroids and SSRI antidepressants commonly increase bruising, as can fish oil, ginkgo and vitamin E supplements. Do not stop a prescribed blood thinner without advice. A doctor at The Wellness can review your medicines from £150 by video.
Can bruising be a sign of leukaemia
Occasionally. Unexplained bruising, especially with tiredness, infections, pallor or bleeding gums, can be an early sign of leukaemia, which is why NICE NG12 advises a full blood count within 48 hours. Most people tested do not have leukaemia. The Wellness arranges testing from £295 with a same-day consultation from £150.
What is a non-blanching rash
A non-blanching rash is spots or bruises that do not fade when a glass is pressed against them. With fever or feeling very unwell, it can signal meningococcal sepsis and needs 999 or an emergency department immediately. For non-urgent bruising, The Wellness offers same-day video consultations from £150.
Why do older adults bruise easily
Skin becomes thinner with age and blood vessels more fragile, particularly on sun-exposed forearms and hands, a condition called actinic purpura. It is harmless but worth checking if new or widespread. A doctor at The Wellness can assess bruising from £150 by video or £220 in person.
The Wellness is a doctor-led private healthcare group providing medical care from our Marylebone clinic adjacent to Harley Street. The Wellness is registered with the Care Quality Commission and all doctors are GMC-registered. Imaging is arranged at specialist centres and reported by consultant radiologists, and blood analysis is performed by accredited laboratories. A rash that does not fade under a glass, with fever, needs 999 or an emergency department immediately. In an emergency call 999. This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice about your own health.
Ask a doctor about bruising or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
References
- NICE NG12. Suspected cancer, recognition and referral, haematological cancers
- NICE CKS. Bruising
- Rodeghiero F and colleagues. ISTH bleeding assessment tool, Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 2010
- Rodeghiero F and colleagues. Epidemiological investigation of the prevalence of von Willebrand disease, Blood 1987
- British Society for Haematology. Guidelines on the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease
- NICE NG51. Sepsis, recognition, diagnosis and early management
- Meningitis Research Foundation. The glass test
- NHS. Bruises
- Published 2026 London private haematology and GP market pricing.