It’s often said that “a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes,” and that’s certainly been our experience with the many vasectomy myths that men often share with one another. In our vasectomy consultations at Precision Vasectomy, we often find ourselves having to set the record straight, debunking many common vasectomy misconceptions. It’s understandable to have them given how rarely vasectomy is talked about publicly.
Our GP & Vasectomy Specialist (CoSRH-trained with Vasectomy SSM qualification), Dr Colin Irwin address these directly to give patients peace of mind and full disclosure before they make a decision as to whether or not this is the correct procedure for them. Below are some real vasectomy facts and how they compare to the myths.
Myth Responses
Myth: A vasectomy affects your testosterone and masculinity
Some men worry that getting a vasectomy will make them less of a man, diminishing their testosterone or making them less virile. As a fully qualified doctor, I want to be clear: a vasectomy does not affect your hormones and has absolutely no effect on your masculine traits.
The only part of your reproduction system that’s operated on is your vas deferens which are the tubes that carry sperm. During the no-scalpel vasectomy procedure, a small section of each one is removed so that sperm is unable to enter the semen. This procedure won’t have any effect whatsoever on your ability to get or maintain an erection, your ability to generate testosterone, or your ability to grow facial hair.
Myth: Vasectomy causes erectile dysfunction
A vasectomy will not in any way reduce your ability to get or maintain an erection. Your ability to achieve an erection comes from nerves and blood vessels, and of course, a big component is psychological, none of these will be affected by the procedure.
Many men even claim that they actually get more sexual satisfaction after the procedure, perhaps because there’s no need to worry about the risks of pregnancy and they can engage in sexual activity freely and naturally.
Myth: The procedure is very painful
A vasectomy is a medical procedure and because of that fact, many men worry that the procedure is incredibly painful. With the no-scalpel vasectomy procedure, there is very little pain. Many patients claim that they only experienced a sharp pinching feeling when the anaesthesia was administered and mild discomfort during the recovery period.
While you will be awake for the procedure, a local anaesthetic is used to numb the pain before the scrotum is gently punctured and the section of the vas deferens removed. There are no stitches required for the recovery which is a common source of pain and discomfort.
Myth: Recovery takes weeks
You may have heard that a vasectomy recovery can take weeks, putting patients out of work for far too long to be worth it. That’s not at all the case. Most men will see enough of a recovery after just a few days to be able to get back to work again. If you get it scheduled for a Friday, you could even recover over the weekend and be back at work on the next Monday.
For some men, it could perhaps take up to a week, and a full week may be advisable if you work a physically demanding job. To get a better idea of how long it tends to take to recover, see our Vasectomy Recovery page.
Myth: Vasectomy increases cancer risk
Is vasectomy safe, and will it increase cancer risk? Some men worry about this, and rightly so, but the research on this worry is outdated. Several health authorities such as the NHS say that there is no evidence that it can increase the risks of prostate or other forms of cancer.
While there may have been a fear of cancer risks quite a few years ago, we can now safely put this old myth to rest and declare it officially debunked.
Myth: It works immediately
You might assume that the moment you’ve undergone a vasectomy, you can get into action immediately without contraception, but that’s not at all true.
After your vasectomy procedure, sperm will no longer be entering your semen, yes, but you will still have motile sperm lingering beyond the blocked-off area. Immediately after your procedure, you are not sterile! It’ll usually take about 20-30 ejaculations after the procedure until you’re sterile, and we will arrange appointments for you 12-16 weeks afterwards to perform a semen test. Once your ejaculate has been tested and no sperm are found present, only then are you officially sterile and can start enjoying sex without the risk of pregnancy.
Myth: It is completely irreversible
Perhaps one of the most important things to consider before getting a vasectomy is whether or not you intend to ever father any more children afterwards. There is a myth going around that a vasectomy is completely irreversible, and it’s actually pretty close to the truth of the matter.
For simplicity’s sake, you should consider a vasectomy to be irreversible. It is technically possible to reverse a vasectomy, but the procedure is complex, expensive, and not at all guaranteed to succeed. Don’t depend on it succeeding at all. Think about this before you decide whether or not a vasectomy is in line with your future life plans.
Don’t Believe the Fake News, Schedule a Consultation with Dr Colin Irwin Today
It’s completely normal to have questions and concerns about vasectomies, and I am always eager to address these in a consultation with my patients. It’s much better to address these in-person than to rely on what you might have heard from others or online. I hope that I’ve been able to put your mind to rest regarding the many vasectomy myths with some vasectomy facts based on my clinical experience and current research.
Still have questions about vasectomies? Check out my FAQs and see how it compares to other forms of family planning on my Contraception Comparison, or schedule a consultation through my Booking page.