We know you want the fastest, best healing possible after your procedure.
If you are here, you or a loved one will soon be having a vasectomy. Our product meets and exceeds the prescribed after care
The answers we seek ...
In the beginning...
If you are reading this, you or a loved one is going to be having a vasectomy. You may be surprised to find that vasectomy after-care instructions vary widely and can seem vague. Before I had my vasectomy, I was very motivated to seek information that would help me minimize pain, swelling, and bruising. I wanted the best healing process and I wanted it to happen as fast as possible. I asked many people about their experiences, and found their findings and doctor care notes had many options. Some research and feedback didn't even mention supporting the area after the procedure. This was surprising given that the top three most respected medical institutions in the US highly recommend supporting your surgical area after the procedure.
The Facts of the Matter ...
Many top health providers have web sources and give information about the vasectomy procedure and the best practices are for post care. When I did my research, I started with 3 highly respected US medical institutions: Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic. Here's what I found (these excerpts were taken from each institutions web page, links are included at bottom of excerpt):
John Hopkins site states 5 post care items and really only 2 address the area impacted in the after care.
What happens after a vasectomy?
You will likely be able to go home right after surgery. Ask your surgeon what type of medicine you may use for pain. You may be told to use an ice pack for the first day to reduce pain and swelling. Here is what you may expect during recovery:
- Rest at home the day after surgery. Don't do any strenuous activity.
- Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to go back in 1 to 3 days.
- You should be able to return to most activities in a week.
- You may need to wear a jock strap for a few days.
- You may be able to return to sexual activity in about a week. But you still need to use birth control.
The Cleveland Clinic site states 4 key help points for after care. This site listed descriptions of after care processes, you may note 2 of which are specific to after the care to the area of the procedure.
What will happen after you have a vasectomy?
- Pain/bruising: Mild discomfort, bruising, and swelling are common after vasectomy. Mild discomfort may be treated with acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol®) every four hours. Ice packs or a bag of frozen vegetables placed over the scrotal supporter and dressing may provide relief, as well. Repeated use of ice packs for the first 36 hours can help keep the swelling down. Always be sure to wrap the ice pack in a towel or put something between it and the skin.
- Dressing: The dressing should be changed when it is stained or soiled. Small sterile gauze squares are available at any drugstore. The dressing can be removed when it is dry or stain-free, usually within a day or so. A small amount of oozing is to be expected. It’s better that this fluid does not build up on the inside, so having it drain out is best.
- Bathing: You can start showering the day after the vasectomy. Avoid baths or swimming for a couple of weeks. To dry the scrotum, pat dry with a towel. Don’t rub.
- Skin separation: Sometimes the skin will separate due to tissue fluid, oozing blood or body fluids. The edges can be pinched together with sterile gauze and your fingers. This will bring the skin together and allow it to heal.
The Mayo Clinic added more detail along these same lines. They listed 5 key after care points but 2 of which are directly effecting the care for the area.
After the procedure
Following a vasectomy, you'll have some bruising, swelling and pain. It usually gets better within a few days. Your doctor will give you instructions for recovery. Your doctor might tell you to:
- Call right away if you have signs of infection, such as blood oozing from the surgery site; a temperature of more than 100.4 F (38 C); redness; or worsening pain or swelling.
- Support your scrotum with a bandage and tight fitting underwear for at least 48 hours after your vasectomy.
- Apply ice packs to the scrotum for the first two days.
- Limit activity after surgery. You'll need to rest for 24 hours after surgery. You can probably do light activity after two or three days, but you'll need to avoid sports, lifting and heavy work for a week or so. Overdoing it could cause pain or bleeding inside the scrotum.
- Avoid any sexual activity for a week or so. If you do ejaculate, you may feel pain or notice blood in your semen. If you have sexual intercourse, use another form of birth control until your doctor confirms that sperm are no longer present in your semen.
In summary: I found the information on the top 3 US medical institutions to be incomplete and felt there had to be something more concrete that I could count on to facilitate and expedite my healing. Note: always rely on your own doctor's advice above anything on the web, even the most respected sources. In my case, even my own doctor's notes did not give me enough details to make me feel comfortable.
A best attempt to consolidate all the information found ...
After the procedure is completed, the area is extremely delicate and very, very tender. All the notable research talks about supporting your impacted area afterward, and they state this in several ways without definitive direction. The suggestions range from using extra support such as a jock strap, a pair of compression shorts, or a tight pair of underwear, injunction with icing the affected area with an ice pack of frozen vegetables for 20 minutes at a time over the first 24-48 hours depending on your bodies response to the ice and recovery. Note: Always following the suggestions and direction of your own doctor, he knows your situation best. (Many sites recommend to have a towel, cloth, or clothing between you and the ice/ice pack/ frozen vegetables)
Some notes suggest you be prepared for swelling, bruising and oozing at the incision site. The area should be kept clean and dressing changed regularly. You never want the dressing and incision mark to seal and when you remove the dressing it tear off the healed skin. You may wish to think of some type of rotation.
That is incorporated into our system to help the healing process on all fronts.
What Makes us different...
As you read through all the documentation, and research it can be overwhelming and not giving the distinct direction I was looking for in my after care. I hope to help you in this time of need and uncertainty. I have personally had the procedure, I went through the whole process! I was very concerned of exactly, how tender things would be after and what would happen next! I was personally so concerned that I invented a product and procedure to help me meet and exceed all the documentation I read. I wanted to ensure I was doing everything possible to make certain I had as little pain as possible & helped negate the swelling, and bruising. As well as not put me at fault for any after care issues that may arise, because I followed a path to take in account all the care concepts that were stated.
As the research points the area needs supported and iced down to keep down the swelling and bruising. I engineered a custom designed Support Ware and holding pouch allow you to have the support you need and hold the ice pack in position to cover the post procedure surgery area and allow you to have a back up in the freezer!
Yes, I used several pairs of support wear and several ice packs to ensure I was ready at every turn. Our Support Wear gives you:
· The ability to keep things snug and held in place, without constant manual readjustment.
· The ability to position the ice pack right where it needs to be to cool the area.
· The ability to have a step by step process to follow.
· The ability to understand why the rotation of items is so important.
· The ability to know you have everything you need in one package to see you through your delicate time and get you back to normal.
I used the patented product with my patented system and healed without issue in 2 full days!
I had the procedure on a Friday morning at 7 am and I was back to work Monday morning. It is my opinion I owe it all to the V-Care Support Wear System!
FAQs & Issues
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