You’ve decided: you want to get the snip. Your partner’s thrilled, you’re eager to take over the contraceptive reins in your relationship, and your darling children are a daily reminder, bless them, that you’re very much done with procreation. So, what’s stopping you?
If the idea of nasty side effects is holding you back from booking your snip, you’re in excellent company and this is a totally normal anxiety to have. The Dr Snip team understands that a vasectomy probably isn’t your idea of a picnic (or a fun one at any rate) and we’re here to set your mind at ease – so you can arrive for your snip with total confidence.
What happens in a vasectomy?
A Dr Snip vasectomy is over in just 10 minutes. It’s a super-simple procedure designed for minimal disruption to your life – and that goes for your after-care, too.
At Dr Snip, we administer local anaesthetic before your vasectomy for your comfort throughout. We then access the vasa, the tubes that carry sperm from the testes to the penis, via our famous microKeyhole technique – more on that below.
Without a scalpel in sight, your doctor will make a tiny opening in the scrotum and block each vas, which interrupts the trajectory of sperm. After the Dr Snip vasectomy, you will still produce semen when you ejaculate, but this semen will no longer contain sperm – and so no longer be able to fertilise ova (a woman’s eggs).
What is the microKeyhole technique?
Dr Snip’s founder Dr Nick Demediuk pioneered the microKeyhole no-scalpel technique in Australia decades ago – and it’s considered best-practice across the country today.
The microKeyhole refers to the tiny opening our doctors make in the scrotum, no bigger than 4mm. This fine opening heals on its own rapidly without stitches post-vasectomy.
Your entire vasectomy will be performed via this opening for a minimally invasive procedure with best-case recovery outcomes – not to mention highest-possible success rates.
The use of a scalpel in a traditional vasectomy causes more trauma to blood vessels and the scrotal skin requiring sutures, which both delays recovery and is linked to higher bleeding and complication rates.
The Dr Snip team will seal and cover one end of the vas and leave the other end open. Covering one end ensures the ends of the vas do not rejoin.
This ‘open-ended’ technique avoids the back-pressure associated with traditional vasectomies, which are typically performed under general anaesthetic. Too often traditional scalpels cause trauma to blood vessels and the delicate scrotal skin, which both delays recovery and is linked to higher failure rates.
Short-term side effects
Thanks to our innovative microKeyhole technique, your vasectomy side effects likely to be mild – and maybe even nonexistent! You can drive yourself home from your Dr Snip appointment and return to non-physical work straight away.
You can shower as normal straight after your snip, but avoid swimming for the next few days to give the wound time to heal. We also recommend you opt for supportive underwear to wear immediately after your snip – you’ll thank yourself later!
When our patients do report side effects, it’s typically mild swelling or soreness as a result of inflammation of the epididymis, rather than anything untoward happening. If you do experience post-snip discomfort, it’s likely to occur either in the hours after you leave the clinic, when your local anaesthetic has worn off but can come on a few days later.
If you’re experiencing pain or swelling that regular ibuprofen (an anti-inflammatory) and rest can’t fix, the Dr Snip team is just a phone call away to support you with any concerns.
In the days or weeks after your vasectomy, occasionally some bruising may develop in the scrotum or side of the penis. Don’t fret this is not a concern – this will disappear quickly.
Long-term side effects
As with any medical procedure, there is a small chance of an adverse reaction to your vasectomy. Make sure that you read and understand the risks before you sign your consent form ahead of your snip, so you are fully informed.
Still have questions?
We generally bundle the consultation and vasectomy appointments together for your convenience but can arrange a separate consultation for you at an earlier time if you require.
Before your vasectomy, your doctor will answer any niggling questions or concerns.
In the event that you have queries before you even get this far the Dr Snip team can arrange for one of the doctors to call you to discuss your issues. Contact the Dr Snip team to book your appointment today.
