The 10 Most Common Questions About Vasectomies

Is a vasectomy painful?

The idea of having a scalpel near your most sensitive region sounds intimidating, but the reality is that vasectomies are not very painful. It’s a very simple and safe procedure. Vasectomies only require local anesthesia; they are not anywhere near intense enough to warrant being put fully under with general anesthesia. You’ll feel a little discomfort during the initial numbing shot, but you won’t be able to feel anything in your genitals after the local anesthesia. If you’re nervous about the procedure, your doctor may also prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help you relax.

After the procedure, you should only experience mild discomfort or soreness for a few days. Over-the-counter pain medication should be enough to manage the discomfort. Icing your testicles and wearing supportive underwear for a few days can help, too. Just make sure to avoid any intense exercise or manual labor for about a week.

How do vasectomies actually work?

A vasectomy blocks off your vas deferens, which are the tubes in your scrotum that transport your sperm to your penis when you ejaculate. If the sperm can’t leave your body, they can’t enter your partner’s body and fertilize one of her eggs. There are two types of vasectomies: one requires an incision, and the other doesn’t. For the incision-free type, the doctor makes a tiny puncture in your scrotum. For the incision type, the doctor will make one or two small incisions in your scrotum. Then the doctor blocks off your vas deferens. The actual blocking can be done in several ways: by tying the tubes, cauterizing the ends, or using surgical clips. If you received an incision, the doctor will stitch you up. If you didn’t get an incision, stitches aren’t necessary.

The process itself is surprisingly quick. You’ll be done in about 20 minutes and can go home right after. You might be a little sore or uncomfortable for the next few days, but it should be pretty mild. Most men go back to work the next day. A lot of men are surprised by just how easy it is.

An important thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need to “drain” any residual sperm that is in your vas deferens, so you don’t become sterile immediately. It’s recommended that men ejaculate approximately 20 times and get their semen retested after 10 weeks to make sure there isn’t any sperm present.

Will you shoot “blanks” after a vasectomy?

No. This is an extremely common misconception. Your ejaculate is made up of sperm and semen. Sperm is what can get a woman pregnant and semen is comprised of proteins, sugars, and other substances that assist the sperm. The sperm is a very small percentage of the total volume—less than five percent. A vasectomy blocks your sperm from being released into your semen, but it doesn’t block the semen itself, so you won’t notice a discernible change to the volume, color, or consistency of your ejaculate.

What are the risks?

A lot of men are scared that a vasectomy won’t work the first time around, but this is extremely rare and not something that you should worry too much about. The main risk of a vasectomy is infection at the incision site, but again, this is pretty rare. Other risks include bleeding and swelling, but these are usually quite mild.

If your doctor thinks it’s the right option for you, you may want to consider an incision-free vasectomy. They have fewer complications and infections since there’s no incision to get infected. They also have less bleeding and swelling.

Does it put you at risk for other conditions?

There are lots of weird rumors about vasectomies and other medical conditions. I’ve heard men express fears that a vasectomy will lead to prostate cancer, heart disease, decreased testosterone, weight gain, or decreased sex drive. But in the extensive research on vasectomies, there is no medical evidence that they cause any of the above.

What is the success rate?

It’s nearly 100 percent foolproof. Vasectomies are one of the most effective forms of birth control. They are a great option because there’s no human error either. You can’t “mess up” by forgetting to take a pill, putting a condom on incorrectly, or having a condom break on you. It’s just one quick procedure, and you’re good to go for the rest of your life.

How difficult are they to reverse?

Vasectomies can be reversed in some cases but not all. There are two ways to reverse vasectomies. Your doctor can either rejoin the two severed ends of your vas deferens in a procedure known as a vasovasostomy, or attach one end of the vas deferens to the back of each testicle in a more complicated procedure known as a vasoepididymostomy.

A reversal is a much more expensive, time-consuming, and challenging procedure with more potential complications. It’s important to understand that even if you are a candidate for a reversal, it still may not work. In other words, you can get it properly reversed, but still not be able to father a child. So, you should be absolutely certain that you don’t want children in the future before choosing to have a vasectomy.

Does it protect you from STIs?

No. You can still transmit STIs through your semen or through skin-to-skin contact. If you want to lower your risk for contracting or transmitting STIs, you’ll need to use a physical barrier like a condom or dental dam.

Do vasectomies affect orgasms?

Your orgasms will be just as pleasurable after a vasectomy as they were before—with the added comfort that there’s almost no risk of pregnancy. Vasectomies don’t have any effect on the physical sensations of pleasure and orgasm.

How long should you wait to have sex again?

Not long at all. It’s usually just a few days. But remember that vasectomies aren’t immediately effective. Your doctor will recommend using another form of birth control for three months after your procedure. At the end of the three months, your doctor will have you provide a sample of your ejaculate and will test it for the presence of sperm. It’s a simple test that will give you a definitive answer about whether or not you’re good to go.