The question of when to resume sexual activity after a vasectomy is often the most pressing issue on a man’s mind after his procedure. You’re going to see a lot of answers to this question floating around the internet, and the answers can vary greatly. Some doctors recommend a week, some two weeks, and some just a couple of days. All of this conflicting advice can be confusing and lead to a lot of unnecessary worries. While there isn’t a definitive answer, the consensus seems to be that it’s best to wait one week before having sex again.
What do the doctors say?
We’ve compiled this list of links to websites of various medical websites organized by recommended wait times. These links should only be used as general guidelines. Your unique situation will vary, so always listen to your doctor and use common sense before resuming intercourse after a vasectomy.
As soon as comfortable
A few days
One week
- Urology Care Foundation
- Mayo Clinic
- Lawrence Memorial Hospital
- University of Rochester Medical Center
- Marie Stopes Australia
Why do you have to wait?
One reason doctors give their patients a waiting period is to ensure the incision has time to properly heal. Since the testicles are subjected to significant movement during sex, there’s a risk that the wound could reopen if it’s not fully healed. Vasectomy incisions are relatively small and recover quickly, but doctors generally like to err on the side of caution when discussing aftercare with patients.
Another reason you need to wait is because of the intense muscle contractions that happen during an ejaculation. These muscle contractions can aggravate the wound and prolong your recovery process.
Suggested readingHow long do you need to keep using contraception?
Something very important to remember is that you won’t be sterile right away. Even when you have fully healed and are able to start having sex again, you need to continue using another method of birth control until you have confirmed you are no longer ejaculating sperm.
Recommended product
Home Vasectomy Test Kit
View on Amazon Read our review We only recommend products we think are useful for our readers. If you make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.It’s estimated that up to 42% of men never go back for post-vasectomy sperm count.1 This is understandable given the inconvenience of a return office or lab visit, however, the only way to be sure your vasectomy has been successful is by having a post-op sperm analysis.
This point cannot be overstated: keep using birth control until your doctor confirms that you are sterile.
Suggested readingWill sex hurt after a vasectomy?
Once the surgery site has completely healed, you shouldn’t experience any pain during intercourse. However, the first couple of ejaculations after your vasectomy might feel uncomfortable. Post-vasectomy discomfort during an orgasm doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong–it just means you’re still sore. Waiting a week or more gives the testicular region more time to heal.
Recommended products for recovery
We only recommend products we think are useful for our readers. If you make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
JockstrapsPapi Men’s Cotton Jock Strap 3-Pack
Ice packsTheraPearl Ice Pack with Gel Beads- Home Vasectomy TestSpermCheck Vasectomy Test Kit
Donut-shaped pillowErgonomic Innovations Orthopaedic Seat
Painful or uncomfortable orgasms beyond your doctor’s recommended waiting period may be a sign of a complication, and you should consult with your doctor as soon as possible.
Summary
Any man who’s had a vasectomy will tell you that you’re probably not going to feel like having sex immediately after your operation. Between the soreness and the sedative side-effects of pain relievers, sex isn’t usually at the top of the list. Some doctors instruct their patients to wait a certain amount of time before bathing, so you may feel unhygienic in addition to being swollen and tired.
By day three or four, these symptoms may have diminished, and many men will be feeling well enough to resume their regular sexual activity. If everything feels all right (and your doctor says it’s OK), then it’s probably safe to cautiously resume sexual activity. Some doctors who allow intercourse after a few days recommend “gentle” sexual activity.
Above all, use common sense. If you’re still tender, not feeling right, or have any reservations about resuming sex, it’s best to play it safe and wait a little longer. And remember: you won’t be sterile right away, so even when you’re physically ready to start having sex again, you need to keep using contraception.
References and further reading
Vasectomy-Information.com has a strict sourcing policy. We rely on evidence-based medicine, peer-reviewed studies, reputable clinical journals, and medical associations. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy.- Christensen RE, Maples DC. Postvasectomy Semen Analysis: Are Men Following Up? The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Published online January 1, 2005:44-47. doi:10.3122/jabfm.18.1.44
- Vasectomy (male sterilisation). NHS. Published February 22, 2018. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/vasectomy-male-sterilisation/
- Questions About Vasectomy. DrSnip – The Vasectomy Clinic. https://www.drsnip.com/questions/
- When can a man have sex after a vasectomy? WebMD. Published August 9, 2019. https://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/qa/when-can-a-man-have-sex-after-a-vasectomy
- Urology. Gynecological clinic Sants. https://www.cgsants.es/en/abortion-gynaecology-barcelona/urology-barcelona.html
- Vasectomy: Treatment & Information. Urology Care Foundation. https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/vasectomy
- Vasectomy. Mayo Clinic. Published February 14, 2019. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/vasectomy/about/pac-20384580
- Vasectomy. Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Published February 11, 2020. https://www.lmh.org/wellness/health-library/document-viewer/?id=hw7265
- Vasectomy – Adult Urologic Conditions and Treatments. University of Rochester Medical Center. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/urology/adult-patients/vasectomy.aspx
- Patient information: Vasectomy. Marie Stopes Australia. https://www.mariestopes.org.au/vasectomy_patient_information-1803/
I had a vasectomy almost 20 years ago. My Fiance wanted me to get one and after talking about we both agreed I should get a vasectomy. She made it really easy on me. She found a Urologist and made me an appointment and even shaved me clean.
When I went to the doctor I was nervous and the nurse gave me a Valium and told me to relax that it was going to be alright. I was then told to take off my pants and pull down my underwear, and lay back, so I complied. The nurse grabbed my penis and taped it back. The doctor then gave me a shot in the scrotum, it hurt for a few seconds that was the only part I didn’t like.
Then he made a tiny incision in my scrotum and pulled out my right vas. She said I was going to be easy because both vasa were easy to get to and close to the skin. When I felt and heard the first snip I said this is it, no turning back now, and on the last snip I said “I did it!”.
I was proud of myself and happy when I got home. I was a little sore but the next day very aroused… I kept getting erections which made it easy to flush out the live sperm. For about a month we had the best sex, after that it went back to normal but I can honestly say I’m glad I got a Vasectomy! If I knew it was that simple I would have got one long ago!
So, I had a vasectomy 48 hours ago, I was feeling fine and had sex, despite my doctor saying I should wait a week. After waking up in the morning, I noticed it had all swollen up, and I can’t even move around without taking pain medications. I should be returning to work next week.
Had mine done on Thursday, no swelling, very little pain on the left side with movement at times. It’s now Saturday, and I might give it a go with the wife tonight.
I had a vasectomy on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. and had sex on Friday. I went gentle, but I have a third nut on my left side now. I think I pulled something. It doesn’t hurt, but it is sore. Now going to be one whole week since the procedure tomorrow, and we’ve had sex three times. I’m going to take it easy for the next two weeks. Anybody ever had a third nut pop up and finally, go away?
Great site, plenty of helpful information here. I am sending it to several friends and also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks for your effort!
Oh, man! I had a vasectomy 20 days ago, and I felt fine to have sex with my wife. However, I misread the suggestions, and we had unprotected sex! I’m praying that we didn’t get pregnant 🙁
No offense, guys, but I’m looking into getting a Vasectomy. I know we need our fix, but 1-3 days after surgery? Come on now. I’ve had skin abrasions that needed longer to heal. And I’ve got get in there as often as possible myself. But you all are crazy.
I wanted to have sex on the same day after my vasectomy. But I decided to wait a day. And did it every day after. I didn’t know how I was going to perform, but it was amazing.
I’m about to schedule mine in a few weeks. I hope I can hold off from having sex, but I know my wife will tease me.
So my doctor didn’t give me a waiting time to resume ejaculation. I didn’t ask, but I think he would have made it clear if he wanted me to wait for a specific time. He only said he wants a sample in two months. And that he would see me Monday morning to see how the weekend went. I had the no-scalpel surgery on Friday. Well, Friday night, I had intercourse with my wife and oral this Saturday afternoon. No pain on either occasion. I guess I’ll be asking specifically on Monday. I will post an update Monday morning after I ask.
Man, my balls have been getting worse. My wife has been teasing me with her body. I am just dying for sex, but they say to wait for one week. I feel like a teenager with blue balls. I need to do something.
Had the no-scalpel procedure done a week ago (Friday). Ice packs and Tylenol were all I needed, but an infection puffed up on my left nut by Tuesday and I took a trip back to the doctor. He said infection is common and that antibiotics would clear it up. Said sex would be fine, but #1 the left ball still hurts and #2 I don’t think my wife wants the guilt of making it worse if something were to happen. Having been married 30 years, a month between sex is like a week anyway… I’ll wait for the right time and spank the monkey once I’m feeling up to it… soon for sure.
I had a vasectomy Tuesday afternoon. I was more nervous about being knocked out… Until I was rolled into the operating room and saw what appeared to be a variety of medieval medical tools! I wish I hadn’t seen them. 🙁 Full anesthesia and I came out quickly and comfortably. I couldn’t bring myself to look until later that night. Between pain meds and Tylenol, things seemed fine until real discomfort started on Wednesday. No bleeding or oozing, just bruising, broken blood cells, and tenderness. If I could do one thing over, I’d have used real ice cubes in bags for the bruising. That would have worked better than frozen peas and gel bags.
Cut to Friday. I’m single but was really horny and was still sore and swollen, but… I gently whacked off. Felt good, but ball sack felt tight afterward. I was worried about the ‘No sex for seven days rule’ because I thought I might screw up something in my newly tied testicles. Glad that’s not the case. Can’t wait to fully recover!
I had the NSV done on Friday and had sex that same night. Lots of more sex on the next night. My doctor said to wait at least seven days, but I’m a total moron and ignored him. I haven’t experienced any pain since leaving the office, but I’m sort of worried I may have undone the vasectomy somehow by not waiting the full seven days. I guess I’ll know after I submit my sample.
I just had the scalpel free procedure four days ago, my doctor did not specify a time period to wait before sex, but I have a high sex drive so after 36 hours, I had to give it a try. I stuck it up to my wife’s backdoor (anal sex) since the extra tightness helped me come quickly with a minimum of pounding. It also negated the need to use a condom.
I had sex on the very next night. I had to be careful, but it was great. I seemed to last longer, and my wife told me I was bigger too.
It’s been six days now, already masturbated once on day 4, though gently. Planning to hit the bed today, will go gently and see how things work out… I am coming, my wifey.
I had a no-scalpel vasectomy on Friday, the 23rd of April. I had an orgasm this morning, the 26th. No pain, no coloring. I have had no bruising and only very slight tenderness due to the fact that the right vas was larger than the left one and a little harder to get to. All in all, I am feeling really good about it and happy to have had it done.
I had mine done last Monday. The worst part was them finding the damn vas to clip… NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I WANTED TO SHOOT IN THE BALLS! Oh, the pain on each side… 5 min never lasted so long.
Been fine since. Ice and Lora-tabs were my friends for the first three days… Then began to have a low, dull pain in the balls, hurt a bit to touch, tried tighter underwear, no good. Iced it this morning again, and much better. Thinking the gravity was causing issues
Got the check-up in the morning, some work to do while out, and then home for some (picture George Lopez whistle here).
Had mine done on December 30th, “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Left ball zero pain, right side sore and a small lump till 5th-day post-op, 7th day zero pain in both. Feeling great, horny as hell, but will wait the suggested two weeks as the doctor told me, don’t want to risk any complications, I’ll make up all my humping after the two weeks go by.
Oh, I ice-packed for three days to help recovery, jockstrap, no heavy lifting, no sex, no masturbation, the small lump was gone, and soreness is gone. Horniness not gone, horniness very strong, STRONGER after vasectomy, it’s taking all I have in me to hold back for two weeks.
I had my vasectomy on Dec. 4th. Doc said when you feel comfortable having sex, go ahead, so the girlfriend and I on Dec. 5th evening decided we would have sex for two full hours. I have not had any problems and have had sex at least 20 times since and will be taking a sample to the Doc Jan. 7th. By everything I have read, it says that between 15 to 20 ejaculation, you should be clear. We did notice that the first ejaculation had just a little color but was clear after the second. I have only talked with one other person that said they had sex the very next day. I had almost no swelling and problems.
I have had minimal pain since my vasectomy three days ago and so have begun intercourse already without a problem. If there was any damage done, then further swelling, pain, bruising would occur due to the inflammation process, so the doctor saying wait a week is probably just the average healing time!
I had the no-scalpel vasectomy Friday at noon. Doc said sex is fine after 24 hours… With protection, of course. The best part was the needleless syringe. That’s right, air pressure, baby! Just felt like a finger tapping on the sack. Took about 12 per side instead of 2 needle sticks per side, but it’s still WAY better than a needle. Felt a little tender after, but overnight felt fine. Doc did suggest before having intercourse that I take a test… An oral exam of sorts. I think I will be fine with that. 😉
My fiance had his vasectomy on Wednesday at 10:30 in the morning, and that evening at about 11:30 pm we had sex! He is so crazy! Why are men so horny that they can’t even wait for 7 days! He said it felt great during it but was sore for a while after. Then we had sex again the next morning. I am not doing it again, he needs to heal, and I told him the last thing you want to do is get your NUTS infected. But everything is good so far, and I am so proud of him for getting this done. He is a real man 🙂
The reason the Dr. tells you to wait a week is to let the tube that he cut during the procedure to heal properly. So you won’t know if you did any damage just by having pain free sex.
I got a vasectomy on Saturday at noon, with one incision on the bottom of the scrotum, and had sex on Sunday evening with a condom, no problems.
I had a vasectomy May 15 and resumed sexual activity on May 20 with no problems. I had the no-scalpel, and they didn’t have to put any stitches on my skin. It was sore before, but I think that was due to the semen build up… once released, it was not sore at all. So I guess it all depends on the person when you should have it again.
I just got my whistle wet. I had my procedure on a Friday afternoon. I had some sex on Tuesday night. I feel fine, but I didn’t get Olympic on it! I was told to wait about a week. 4 days is closer to a week than 3 days, right? Haha!
My vasectomy was on Friday at 2 pm. I was in the office for all of an hour. I had the no-scalpel vas, and it was EASY. I wasn’t fond of the anesthetic part, but after that, it was no more than feeling tugging on my sac. The nurse cauterized the tubes after the doc trimmed me. I have one tiny puncture in my sac about 2″ below my penis. I did more damage dropping an Exacto blade once.
The doc was cool. I wished the nurse had been a hottie, that would have kept my mind off that damn needle. Anyway, I brought my iPod to iTunes out, but we were all joking around, so I never used it. It was over quickly, and about an hour afterward, I WISH I HAD TAKEN TYLENOL BEFOREHAND.
My girl drove me back home through Atlanta afternoon traffic, and by the time I got home, I felt like a 300lb gorilla had kicked me in the groin for a 65-yard field goal. I took 800mg of Advil and slept for 2 hours. I woke up around 6 ate a little bit, watched a movie. I slept all night thanks to more Advil and 3 tabs of Benedryl.
Post Op day 1
I feel fine. I was not overexerting myself and felt kinda horny. A wee bit sore and swollen but not bad at all. I thought about masturbating but afraid my ejaculation may undo the sealed tubes. But I was still aroused. Also afraid that fucking gorilla may come back for another punt. I’m going to the Braves game on Sunday regardless.
I have mine scheduled for next Friday. My wife is a nurse, and she told me I’d have to wait for two weeks before having sex. I can’t… I think I’ll explode. But I’ll take a gorilla punt any day before having another kid 🙂
My Dr. said I could have sex as soon as my wife said so! Been 5 days, feeling pretty confident I’m ready to gently go about it.
I had my vasectomy three days ago, and I’m horny. The post-op nurse said no intercourse for 1-2 weeks. She said that some guys resume after a day or two thinking they’re manly-men studs, and end up injuring themselves. It’s not cool to have to go back and say that your balls have a boo-boo because they couldn’t handle sex: so don’t do it. My wife was trying to negotiate to get the nurse to say three weeks LOL.
I had my vasectomy on Friday evening. Today is Monday evening. My wife and I got a little interested in each other, and, well… at least I waited 48 hours for my first ejaculation. I have no pain. Not sure why all the doctors say wait one week. I think they want to prevent injury to the actual incision. We just kept the rubbing and yanking to a minimum, and the incision did not re-open or anything. So I say as soon as you feel good, go for it (gently).
I just had my vasectomy done on Tuesday, and on Friday after work, my wife and I figured we could give it a try. The doctor told us to wait 7 days, but like a lot of other people who have looked online for a timeframe to resume intercourse afterward, there were ranges from 2 days to 4 weeks.
I had very little discomfort immediately after the procedure, and over the next two days, I wouldn’t even have known I had it done if I didn’t know that I had. No pain, discomfort, bleeding. Nothing. I felt back to normal for the most part. I will say though that during and after this first time after the procedure, it felt like I had been kicked in the balls. Now that it has been about an hour afterward, the pain/discomfort has subsided, but I was a little worried that we probably shouldn’t have done it so soon.
The reason the doctor tells you to wait for a few days afterward before having unprotected sex is for a variety of reasons.
1. The incision site can become infected.
2. The motions of intercourse can be uncomfortable with your testicles bouncing around.
3. You still are nowhere even CLOSE to being sterile (3 to 6 months afterward, you can still have live sperm leaving in your ejaculate). The sperm that are ejaculated when you have sex is actually close to being 75 days old at that point. It takes approximately that long from the time they are created in the testicles until they make it to the storage point located in the prostate gland. THIS is the reason the doctors make you wait for 3 months before testing your semen to see if there are any sperm (alive OR dead) left in your ejaculate.
A vasectomy can be thought of like building a dam in a 10-mile long river. At mile #1, the dam is built, and the water backs up behind the dam, but all of the water downstream from the dam continues to flow until it runs out, and the riverbed becomes dry. Your prostate is at the end of mile #10, so all of the water needs to run out of the riverbed, and the riverbed needs to be dry before you can say there’s no more water (in effect, no more sperm). Sperm do NOT leave the testicles immediately, travel up the vas deferens to the prostate, and get ejaculated all at one moment (the moment you have an ejaculation). It is an ongoing process, and the only sperm that leave your body are the ones that have been stored in your prostate. There are still plenty of them working their way up to your vas deferens to the prostate, awaiting the NEXT ejaculation. Sperm can swim, but they aren’t so fast as they can leave your testicles the minute you kiss your partner and be inside of them when you ejaculate, whether it be 20 minutes or 2 hours later. I hope this helps some of you looking for answers to how our sperm are created, where they reside until we send them out on patrol, and why it takes so long after a vasectomy before we can be given the green flag that we are truly “shooting blanks.”
In short, there is a SIGNIFICANT possibility that you can still have children for up to 6 months after you have had a vasectomy, and they WILL be yours. Your doctor is the only one that can give you the “all clear” signal that you are not continuing to ejaculate sperm after a vasectomy. I spoke at significant length with my doctor about all of this before mine and did plenty of “human reproduction” research on the internet before I had mine. I do not want any more children, and a surprise is the last thing we need now. Better to know how things operate in your testicles and that surrounding area so that you know the possibilities of what can happen if you don’t pay attention to what your doctor tells you (or forgets to tell you). Good luck, everyone!
I made LOVE less than a week after my job in my balls, what are the chances that she can become pregnant? I know it’s the same old story, but we only did it once, I ejaculated into her. And if she is pregnant, is there any substance that we would be missing to make a healthy baby if she is indeed pregnant?
Hope someone can give a clearer answer than, you should have waited… Why, and an explanation would also be good, if the little suckers can’t get through now as there’s no tube why pregnant, em… has she played away…
Gino, you better call 911 asap! Your girl is most likely pregnant, and the child will not have any arms or legs. Only the armless and legless sperm make it through after a vasectomy.
Lmao good one mate!!
Gino, ok.
First, if your wife is pregnant, then there is no reason your baby wouldn’t be healthy. Sperm leave the testicles and mix with fluids in the prostate and another couple of glands (I can’t think of the names, and I’m too lazy to go look) when you ejaculate. So, all of that was still there when you had sex. If you’re going to be a father, you are going to have a healthy baby.
Second, the reason she could still get pregnant is the possibility that you still have sperm further downstream from the last time you ejaculated before you had the vasectomy. After the last time you ejaculated before you had your vasectomy, there was some sperm still left over in your vas deferens, prostate, and urethra. The supply of sperm has been cut off because of the vasectomy, but any that were leftover past the vasectomy can still go through with the next ejaculation.
Long story short, if your wife gets pregnant, it is from sperm that left your testicles before your vasectomy. I hope that answers your question.
It takes anywhere up to 20 ejaculations to clear the top of the tubes, which is left to clear off any sperm if there is any that is why they say wait before intercourse.
I just had mine done on December 26th and was the scalpel free technique. I was nervous during the procedure because the doctor had to inject more novocaine because I kept feeling it. My bruising is going away, and there is still a little tenderness on my right side, but I’m going to give it a little more time, hoping it’s just because of the trauma from the procedure. I did resume sex 4 days ago and, except for a slight tenderness on the right testicle, had no problems. Each person heals differently, but if you’re having pain when ejaculating, I wouldn’t go for it.
Recently had a vasectomy 3 days ago. Dr. had given instructions no intercourse for one week. During my sleep, I had premature ejaculation, obviously very concerned based on the new surgery and not the full week as intended – what signs should I be looking for? Could I have damaged anything with the early encounter?
I had my operation 3 weeks ago yesterday. The doctor told me I could resume sex 2 weeks afterward. I waited for the 2 weeks, and when I went to ejaculate, I had serious pain in my left testicle. I have tried 3 other times this week, and each time I get the same pain.
My doctor wants me to come in to talk about it. I feel like he just wants me to charge me an office visit. There is no swelling or anything. Has anyone else had this issue? Do I just need more time?
Drew, What was your issue? I know it’s been ten years, but I’m having the same exact issue right now!
My husband is having this issue too. Did you ever figure out why?
I haven’t had one, and my wife is more than willing to wait three months in between sex.
I had my surgery on a Thursday morning. Like many, I was already thinking about having intercourse the very next day. It’s been nearly four days now, and the only thing keeping my wife and me from having intercourse is a lack of a clear answer and a little concern. I’m a little sore, but I feel that I am ready.
After researching this topic online, I have seen some suggestions to wait for 4 weeks! Are you kidding me? Lol… But on the other hand, I have seen two days!
I had mine on Wednesday afternoon and wanted to have sex 10 minutes after it. The doctor said to wait a week, but I can’t wait that long… It’s been four days.
I was able to resume sexual intercourse right after my vasectomy and penis reduction surgery. I had to be careful and not move around a lot, but it was possible.
My husband had a vasectomy on Monday, and we had a sexual experience on Tuesday. Madness yes, but Col said it didn’t hurt, only that the stitches were pulling a little.