What happens before a vasectomy?
Before you have a vasectomy, certain things should happen.
Consultation
Before a vasectomy, you should talk with your healthcare provider seriously about the surgery. You should be sure that you don’t want to have any children or more children. You should consider a vasectomy a permanent form of birth control. Although there’s a procedure to reverse a vasectomy, it isn’t always successful.
Your healthcare provider will also talk to you about:
- History of excessive bleeding or blood disorders.
- Allergy or sensitivity to local anesthetics, such as the “caine” drugs or antibiotics. The “caine” drugs include benzocaine or lidocaine or procaine (Novocaine®).
- Skin disease involving your scrotum, especially infected pimples.
- Regular use of aspirin or medicines that contain aspirin or drugs that affect bleeding.
- History of injury or earlier surgery on your genitals or scrotum or groin (like hernias).
- History of recent or repeat urinary tract or genital infections.
Consent form
You’ll be asked to sign a consent form stating that you understand vasectomy and its risks. This includes understanding that the procedure isn’t guaranteed (as no medical procedure is or can be).
Before you sign this form, make sure you understand all of these things and that you’re comfortable with your decision. It’s important that you resolve any questions or concerns before taking action. Remember, a vasectomy is an elective procedure. Don’t go ahead with it until you’re sure it’s the right choice for you.
Blood thinners
Don’t take any of these products for seven days before surgery unless you’re told to do so by your healthcare provider. Taking these medications increases the risk of bleeding. They are:
- Aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) or naproxen (Aleve®).
- Warfarin (Coumadin®).
- Clopidogrel (Plavix®).
- Ticlopidine (Ticlid®).
- Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants like dabigatran (Pradaxa®), rivaroxaban (Xarelto®), apixaban (Eliquis®) and edoxaban (Savaysa®, Lixiana®).
Shaving and washing
The night before or the morning of the vasectomy, shave away the hair from your entire scrotum. Remove the hair all the way to the top of your penis, including any pubic hair that seems to fall onto your scrotum. Don’t use an electric razor on your scrotum. A single-blade disposable razor is the best choice.
To reduce the risk of infection, thoroughly wash your scrotum and groin the day before and the morning of the surgery.
Other preparations
- Several hours before surgery, take any specific preoperative medications as directed.
- Bring a clean athletic supporter (jock strap) or tight pair of compression shorts.
- Eat lightly or stick to liquids before a vasectomy. Don’t eat heavily, but don’t avoid food.
How is the vasectomy procedure done?
There are two types of vasectomies. One is an incision vasectomy, and the other is a no-scalpel vasectomy. Both are done in doctors’ offices or outpatient surgery centers. Both use local anesthesia to numb your scrotum. The anesthesia is given as a shot.
Both types of vasectomies divide and close off the ends of the vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm), preventing sperm from getting through. This stops the sperm from mixing with sem*n and releasing when a man ejacul*tes during an org*sm.
Your surgeon will make an opening in your skin and grasp the vas deferens. The vas deferens is then divided and tied, clipped or cauterized. Cauterizing closes cuts with an electrical current.
There’s little discomfort with a vasectomy. Your scrotum will be numb, but some men feel a slight “tugging” sensation or a feeling of things moving around. Your surgeon will decide if you need stitches, depending on how they routinely do the procedure.
What happens after you have a vasectomy?
Pain/bruising
You’ll probably have mild discomfort, bruising and swelling after the procedure. You can take acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol®) every four hours for the discomfort. You can place ice packs or a bag of frozen vegetables over your scrotal supporter and dressing. Using ice packs repeatedly for the first 36 hours helps keep the swelling down. Always be sure to wrap the ice pack in a towel or put something between it and your skin.
Dressing
Change the dressing when it’s stained or soiled. You can buy small sterile gauze squares at any drugstore. You can remove the dressing when it’s dry or stain-free, usually within a day or so. You can expect a small amount of oozing. Having the fluid drain out is better for you than having it build up on the inside.
Bathing
You can start showering the day after the vasectomy. Avoid baths or swimming for a couple of weeks. To dry your scrotum, pat dry with a towel. Don’t rub.
Skin separation
Sometimes, your skin might separate due to tissue fluid, oozing blood or body fluids. If this happens, you can use sterile gauze and your fingers to pinch the edges together. This’ll bring your skin together and allow it to heal. Scarring is minimal, if it even happens at all.
It’s common to have some of these symptoms after a vasectomy. They should go away within 72 hours of surgery.
However, you should call your healthcare provider immediately if you have:
- An unusual amount of pain.
- Extreme swelling of your scrotum.
- Continued bleeding.
- A fever (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.7 degrees Celsius).
What happens to sperm after a vasectomy?
After a vasectomy, your testicl*s continue making sperm. When the sperm cells die, they disintegrate and are absorbed by your body. This is the same way your body handles other types of cells that die and are replaced every day.
FAQs
The procedure itself is quick, taking about 30 minutes or less. Full recovery time is about eight to nine days for many people. Keep in mind this may vary depending on your individual perception of pain and ability for tissue healing. It will take longer until you can ejacul*te without sperm in your sem*n.
How long to stay in bed after a vasectomy? ›
Lie down as much as you can for the first 24 hours. Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover. After the first day, try to walk each day.
What is the main disadvantage for a male who gets a vasectomy? ›
The most common risk with a vasectomy is infection, but those are usually minor and treatable with antibiotics. You may also have some pain, bleeding, bruising, or swelling after the procedure. Read more about vasectomy safety.
How do I make sure my vasectomy is effective? ›
It takes at least 2 months for your sem*n to become sperm-free. 8-16 weeks after your vasectomy, your doctor will do a simple test called a sem*n analysis to check for sperm in your sem*n. Make sure that you ejacul*te (cum) at least 20 times before you have your sem*n tested.
What is the of effectiveness of vasectomy? ›
Vasectomy is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. If you have a vasectomy, your sex drive, production of sex hormones and ability to reach org*sm will not be affected.
What are the do's and don'ts after a vasectomy? ›
You'll need to rest for 24 hours after surgery. You can probably do light activity after two or three days, but you'll need to avoid sports, lifting and heavy work for a week or so. Overdoing it could cause pain or bleeding inside the scrotum. Avoid any sexual activity for a week or so.
Can ejacul*ting too soon after a vasectomy damage it? ›
Can ejacul*ting too soon after vasectomy damage it? Yes. Too much ejacul*tion too early after vasectomy can cause increased inflammation. This causes more pain, more swelling, more bleeding and potentially an increased chance of infection and re-canalisation ( = spontaneous reversal, vasectomy failure).
Can a vasectomy cause problems later in life? ›
In the study by Walker and associates,95 vasectomy was associated with a significantly higher risk of diseases of the genitourinary system, including orchitis and epididymitis. A similar increased risk of orchitis/epididymitis was also seen in another large study.
Who is not a good candidate for vasectomy? ›
A vasectomy might not be right for you if you are very young, your current relationship is not stable, you are having the vasectomy just to please your partner, you are under a lot of stress, or you are counting on being able to reverse the procedure later.
Is 50 too old for a vasectomy? ›
If your doctor says you're in good enough health for a vasectomy, there's no age limit on the procedure. Before you get a vasectomy, though, you should also consider your partner's age and fertility.
After a vasectomy, you'll be able to ejacul*te just like you did before, and your sem*n (cum) will still look, feel, and taste the same. It just won't have microscopic sperm cells in it, and you won't be able to get anyone pregnant. You'd have to look at your sem*n under a microscope to notice a difference.
When do most vasectomies fail? ›
Although it is a simple elective procedure, vasectomy is associated with potential minor and major complications. The early failure rate of vasectomy (presence of motile sperm in the ejacul*te at 3–6 months post-vasectomy) is in the range of 0.3–9% and the late failure rate is in the range of 0.04–0.08%.
How often should you get your sperm checked after a vasectomy? ›
You'll have a sem*n test two to three months after the procedure. If the result meets American Urological Association guidelines, you're considered sterile. If sperm is seen, the sem*n test is repeated, usually a month later. Until then, you must continue using other birth control methods to prevent pregnancy.
How many years does a vasectomy last? ›
Between the method we use to cut the vas deferens and the follow-up tests that ensure all sperm has left your sem*n, a vasectomy is designed to work completely and permanently.
Do you shoot less after a vasectomy? ›
A very commonly asked question after vasectomy is will sem*n volume drop, or will the vasectomy impact ejacul*tory function? Men do not notice a drop in sem*n volume when they ejacul*te after vasectomy either because only 2 percent of the volume comes from the sperm cells made in the testicl*s.
Is vasectomy worth the risk? ›
Vasectomy is very effective
“Even after a man gets a vasectomy and later gets a sem*n test that will show no sperm cells in the sem*n, there is still a very small risk for an unwanted pregnancy in the future. “That risk is estimated in many studies at one in 2,000, which is, for example, much better than condoms.
What percentage of vasectomies heal? ›
In fact, with a 99.85% effective rate, it's practically the gold standard. Between the method we use to cut the vas deferens and the follow-up tests that ensure all sperm has left your sem*n, a vasectomy is designed to work completely and permanently.
How long after a vasectomy can I walk? ›
Should I walk around after vasectomy? On the first day, you should limit your standing and walking durations to 5 minutes at a time, ensuring to take 10-15 minute rest breaks. From days 2 to 7, gradually extend your walking and standing time by 30 minutes daily, maintaining the 10-15 minute rest intervals.
Is a vasectomy considered major surgery? ›
Vasectomy is minor surgery to block sperm from reaching the sem*n that is ejacul*ted from the penis. sem*n still exists, but it has no sperm in it. After a vasectomy the testes still make sperm, but they are soaked up by the body.
How long after a vasectomy can I drive a car? ›
24 hours postoperatively: Do not drive a car or operate machinery for 24 hours after anesthesia. Do not consume alcohol, tranquilizers, or sleeping medication 24 hours after anesthesia or if taking prescription pain medicine. Diet: Begin with clear liquids.
