Whether you’re in a relationship or not, there may come a time in your life when you consider a vasectomy. A vasectomy is a form of male sterilization that prevents you from impregnating a partner by making it impossible for sperm to exit your body.
Doctors have used vasectomies to sterilize male patients since World War II. Vasectomy is a simple and safe office procedure. It has a long safety record and minimal recovery time compared to female sterilization which requires an operation under anesthesia.
Every year, about half a million men elect to have vasectomies in the United States. However, since abortions became more restricted in this country, vasectomies have been on the rise.
Alex Lesani, MD, is an expert urologist in Las Vegas, Nevada. He excels in performing the latest, safest type of vasectomy, known as the no-scalpel vasectomy.
If you’re considering a vasectomy, here’s what you should know about this effective means of family planning.
Female sterilization is a more involved procedure than vasectomy. Women who undergo tubal ligation may need to take a few days off from their normal activities and responsibilities to recover. With a vasectomy, you won’t need that extra downtime.
Today’s no-scalpel vasectomy is such a simple procedure that it’ll take Dr. Lesani less than 30 minutes to perform. Instead of creating incisions in your scrotum with a scalpel, he makes two little punctures and then seals each vas deferens tube.
You won’t need stitches or a bandage in most cases. The tiny puncture wounds heal themselves. You’re free to go back to work directly after your procedure.
Even though you don’t need to take off from work, you can’t go back to many of your normal activities for several days because you’ll be sore. To support your boys’ recovery:
You also have to abstain from sex. Don’t worry: That’s not why vasectomies work.
You must abstain from both masturbation and sexual intercourse until you’re fully recovered. Usually, you’ve healed enough after a week or so to resume sexual activity.
However, let your body be your guide. If a week passes and you still feel tender, wait a few more days. If soreness persists, let us know.
Dr. Lesani cauterizes the ends of your severed vas deferens tubes so they can no longer carry sperm into your partner’s vagina when you ejaculate. However, sperm can live in your body for months at a time. Some little guys may be hiding out in the section of the vas deferens that’s still connected to your urethra.
If your partner uses birth control, have her continue to rely on that method to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Or, use a condom to ensure no errant sperm finds an egg post-vasectomy.
On your follow-up visits, Dr. Lesani tests your ejaculate to determine when you’re sperm-free. Usually, it takes 20-30 ejaculations to clear all the sperm. He lets you know when your sperm count is zero so that you can enjoy sex without contraception.
A vasectomy is 99% effective against pregnancy. Theoretically, getting somebody pregnant for up to a year after a successful vasectomy is possible. The only type of contraception that’s 100% effective is abstinence, but you don’t need a vasectomy if you choose that method!
A vasectomy is meant to be a permanent form of sterilization. So, if you think you might want to have children again at another stage of life, we don’t recommend it.
That said, we understand that life brings changes that may make you regret your decision to have a vasectomy. If you later want to reverse your vasectomy, it may be possible. Be sure to get the help of an expert like Dr. Lesani for the best outcome with the lowest risk of complications.
If you’re ready for permanent contraception, schedule your no-scalpel vasectomy today by contacting us by phone at 702-470-2579. You can also book your appointment online.
