A vasectomy is a quick and convenient outpatient surgical procedure, but it’s still a surgical procedure. Considering this, it’s important to be aware of all of the do’s and don’t both before and after your vasectomy. In addition to answering some of the most commonly asked questions patients have after the procedure, this guide is designed to provide you with all the vasectomy pre and post-operative information you will need to ensure a successful procedure and a speedy recovery.
Vasectomy Pre-Operative Instructions
For the Week Prior to the Procedure
Beginning seven days before your scheduled vasectomy, it’s important to avoid taking aspirin or any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medications thin the blood and can increase the risk of bleeding. Other pain relief medications, like acetaminophen, do not affect the blood and are generally safe to use during this time. As with any medication, consult your surgeon with questions regarding usage of acetaminophen or other pain relieving medications prior to use.
For the Day of the Procedure
To ensure your procedure goes as smoothly as possible on the day of your scheduled appointment, it’s very important that you follow a few simple pre-op instructions. Unless otherwise advised by your medical provider, have a light meal or snack 2 hours before your vasectomy.
In terms of what to wear to your appointment, the goal is always to have you feeling as relaxed and as comfortable as possible. Considering this, it’s recommended that you wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, like sweatpants or jogging pants, to the appointment.
Although you should be able to drive yourself home after the procedure, you could experience slight to moderate pain or discomfort. To ensure that you are able to safely travel home after your vasectomy, we advise arranging for a friend or family member to be available to drive you home, should you need it.
Lastly, and since you will be unable to shower for the first 24 hours following your procedure, it’s recommended that you shower and clean your genital area the morning of your scheduled vasectomy.
Vasectomy Post-Operative Instructions
Carefully following the vasectomy post-operative instructions in the hours and days immediately following your vasectomy is essential to preventing complications, reducing the risk of infection, and to ensuring a smooth recovery.
Immediate Post-Op Care
Immediately after your procedure, and for at least the next 24 hours, it is very important to avoid any physical activities, and especially activities that involve lifting of any heavy objects.
To help reduce swelling and post surgical discomfort, it’s also important to apply ice to your scrotum right after surgery and continuing throughout the following day; we find it most effective to apply ice packs every 20 minutes for the first 24 hours after your procedure.
As a way to help to further alleviate pain and discomfort, make sure to take any pain medication as recommended by your doctor.
After your procedure, you will want to make sure you are providing the appropriate support to your scrotum. Most men find that wearing an athletic supporter or snug briefs for the week following the vasectomy provides comfort and support while recovering.
It’s fine to resume showering one day after your procedure, just remember to thoroughly dry the area around your incision.
You will typically begin to progressively feel better in the days following your surgery, however it’s important to refrain from sexual activity for 10 days after your procedure. Until the area completely heals, ejaculation within the week following a vasectomy has been known to strain the site of the incision and cause pain and discomfort in the testicles; most men are able to resume normal sexual function ten to twelve days after their procedure.
Please note, you will want to pay careful attention to the requirements of birth control/contraception in the months following your vasectomy. Specific information about this is included below in the FAQ section of this guide.
If you have any concerns or questions during your vasectomy recovery time, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider right away.
Vasectomy Recovery Timeline
After a vasectomy, the recovery timeline typically involves a few days of rest and limited activity. Immediately following the procedure, it’s common for individuals to experience some discomfort, swelling, and bruising in the scrotal area. Pain medication and cold packs can help alleviate these symptoms during the first few days. Most men are able to resume very light activities within 2-3 days, although strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for at least a week in order to prevent strain on the surgical site.
While some men may experience lingering discomfort or minor complications, such as occasional pain or swelling, full recovery and return to normal activities typically occur within 1-2 weeks after the vasectomy.
Do’s After a Vasectomy
After undergoing a vasectomy, it’s important to take certain steps to ensure proper recovery and to minimize any potential complications. Here are some general things you should do after a vasectomy:
Follow vasectomy post care instructions. Our clinic has helped thousands of men to comfortably recover from their vasectomy. The vasectomy after care instructions we provide are based on a combination of the best medical advice and years of experience in helping men, just like you, to heal from their procedures.
Rest. While everyone wants to get back to their normal routine as quickly as possible, it is very important that you give your body the time it needs to rest and recover following a vasectomy. As part of the vasectomy post care recovery plan, it is essential that you rest and stay off of your feet the day of surgery; you will then want to avoid strenuous physical activity for at least a week, or until cleared by your doctor, and then resume these activities gradually.
Take the recommended pain medications. Taking the recommended or prescribed over-the-counter pain medications, including Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin, as directed by your doctor will help alleviate pain and discomfort and reduce swelling and inflammation around the site of your incision.
Apply ice packs. Applying ice packs immediately after surgery will help alleviate pain and discomfort and will also help to reduce swelling. While it’s important to apply ice packs in 20 minute increments for the first 24 hours after surgery, it’s also recommended that you apply ice to the area as needed for the week following your procedure and as a regular part of your post vasectomy care plan.
Wear supportive underwear. Vasectomy aftercare requires that the scrotum is supported while the tissues heal from your surgical procedure. Wearing an athletic supporter or snug briefs provides this needed support and will help to minimize pain, discomfort, and swelling.
Keep your incision clean and dry. Aftercare is essential for minimizing the risk of infection and other complications.
Monitor the area for potential complications. Check your incision on a regular basis for signs of infection or any other type of complication. Excessive bleeding, discharge, pain, swelling, redness or fever could be signs of an infection and need to be reported to your doctor right away.
Use contraception when resuming sexual activity. As you will read below in the FAQ section, the contraceptive effects of a vasectomy are not immediately effective in preventing pregnancy. As part of your vasectomy post op plan, your doctor will test your semen to confirm that it is free of sperm. Considering this, making alternate forms of contraception a part of your vasectomy after care plan until this is confirmed is essential.
Dont’s After a Vasectomy
While your vasectomy aftercare plan includes several steps that you should take to support recovery, it also includes a number of things that you should avoid, at least temporarily, while you heal from your procedure, these include:
Avoid strenuous activities. Taking part in strenuous activities too soon can strain the site of your incision, increase the risk of discomfort and/or infection, and slow your recovery process. For best results, it’s recommended that you avoid strenuous physical activities, including exercise and lifting heavy objects, for at least the first week after your vasectomy or until you’ve been cleared by your doctor.
Submerging the area in water. While it is ok to resume showering 24 hours after a vasectomy, to avoid the risk of infection, you will want to avoid submerging the area of your incision in baths, swimming pools, and hot tubs until fully healed.
Avoid sexual activity. Refrain from sexual activity for 10 days after your vasectomy or until your doctor tells you it’s ok. Ejaculation within the week following your procedure can cause pain and discomfort and could lead to further complications.
Lifestyle Adjustments
A vasectomy is an extremely effective method of birth control that blocks sperm from entering semen and causing pregnancy. A vasectomy is intended to be a permanent medical procedure; meaning after the procedure, you will be sterile. Considering the permanency of a vasectomy, any uncertainty about future plans should be fully considered and discussed prior to undergoing the procedure.
Vasectomy Post-Op FAQs
The following frequently asked questions and answers are specifically designed to help clarify misconceptions and to provide answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about life after your vasectomy.
Can I shower after a vasectomy?
Yes, you can shower after a vasectomy. It’s recommended that you wait at least 24 hours after surgery to shower. After showering, and to help prevent infection, make sure to completely dry the surgical area.
While you can shower after a vasectomy, you will want to avoid completely submerging your vasectomy incision in a bath, pool, or hot tub until it has completely healed.
Always make sure to follow your doctor’s specific post-operative instructions and recommendations regarding showering and wound care after the procedure.
When can I return to work?
A vasectomy is a convenient, straightforward outpatient surgical procedure. That being said, it’s important to make sure that you are giving yourself enough time after your vasectomy to completely heal.
A large part of the vasectomy recovery time process involves knowing when it’s safe for you to return to work.
First, and most importantly, no matter what your career, it is essential that you stay off of your feet as much as possible for the first 24 hours following your vasectomy.
Exactly when you head back to your job depends, in large part, what exactly it is that you do for work.
Most men find that they are able to return to work and resume normal, non-physical office activities a day or two after surgery. However, for those with jobs that are more physical, it’s recommended that you wait at least a week before gradually returning to full active physical duty.
Will a vasectomy affect sexual function?
Other than refraining from sexual intercourse/ejaculation while recovering during the week following your surgery, a vasectomy will not affect sexual function. In fact, with the exception of sperm no longer being added to semen during an ejaculation, there should not be any other noticeable change to your libido, ability to achieve and maintain an erection, orgasm, or anything else that you would notice during sexual intercourse.
In addition to not experiencing a change in sexual function or sexual intercourse, a vasectomy will have no effect on your testosterone levels or on the production of any other male hormone.
However, a vasectomy is not immediately effective in preventing pregnancy. In other words, you will need the protection of alternative contraception until your doctor verifies through lab testing that there is no sperm present in your semen. For most men, completely clearing sperm from semen requires 20+ ejaculations after vasectomy.
Once lab testing confirms the absence of sperm in your semen, you can safely assume that your vasectomy is complete and will serve as an effective method of birth control.
