Most men don’t look forward to any invasive genital procedure, but chances are they will seek to have a vasectomy at some point in their life. If you no longer want to continue having children, vasectomies do a pretty good job of keeping your swimmers at bay. Our specialists at the Y Factor Men’s Urological Wellness have performed countless vasectomies. Anxiety about the procedure is common, but we can help you understand the benefits.

1. Most effective male contraceptive

Vasectomies help men prevent unwanted pregnancy. Usually, men of older age who feel ready to stop having more children seek the procedure after discussing it with their partner. Less than 1% of men have a chance of getting their partner pregnant after the procedure. That’s a better success rate than condoms, or birth control pills for women.

Vasectomies are safer, quicker, and more effective than sterilization procedures for women.

2. Minimally invasive

At the Y Factor, our founder and medical director, Dr. Russel Williams, performs a no-scalpel, no-needle vasectomy. During the procedure, he numbs your scrotal area, makes a small opening in the front of your scrotum using a special tool, and places tiny clips against your vas deferens. This blocks the path your sperm takes to get to your urethra. You may feel mild discomfort, but the sensation is minimal and short lived. The procedure itself takes only about 10-15 minutes.

In case you experience anxiety before the vasectomy, we can give you nitrous oxide or valium to ease you into a state of relaxation.

3. Recovery time is fast

Recovery time following a vasectomy typically lasts around 10 days. We recommend that during this time you refrain from engaging in activity that is tough on your scrotum. This is a perfect opportunity to sit on the couch and rest for a week. You can use an ice pack for the first two days in case you experience soreness. If you do feel pain, don’t expect to need anything stronger than over-the-counter pain reliever to get the job done.

4. It shouldn’t affect your sex life

After the vasectomy, we recommend you avoid sexual activity for a week. After that, you should be able to have a regular sex life. You may still produce and release sperm for several months after the procedure, therefore you need to continue to use contraception during that time. We run tests during this time to record the presence of sperm until we no longer see it.

Once you stop releasing sperm, your sex life can even be improved without the risk of pregnancy.

5. A vasectomy is relatively inexpensive

It’s definitely far cheaper to have a vasectomy than it is to raise a child. It’s also a one-time procedure that costs less than other surgical procedures, and it’s covered by most insurance providers. A vasectomy is significantly cheaper than sterilization procedures for women, and in the long term, it may be cheaper than regularly used contraceptives.

If you’re ready for a consultation for a vasectomy, please call our office at one of our three locations.