Did you know that vasectomies are safer and more cost-effective than tubal ligations, yet in the US, more than twice as many women undergo tubal ligation for permanent contraception (even though that operation costs three to four times as much and is much more involved – usually involving surgery)? It seems that many men may feel a bit uneasy about having a doctor tinker around their “manhood” with a scalpel; also, numerous men mistakenly believe that vasectomies will lower testosterone levels and/or affect sexual performance.

The good news, a new no-scalpel vasectomy technique is available that reduces the risks involved with having a vasectomy, so perhaps this procedure may alleviate some of those fears you men may have. The no-scalpel vasectomy, a technique beginning in the 1970s in China, has been steadily becoming more popular in the US. It eliminates the need for incisions; instead, doctors use their fingers to locate the vas deferens and then make a tiny poke-hole over it. Doctors then pull the vas through the hole, then cut it. Compared with traditional techniques, the no-scalpel vasectomy results in less bleeding, less postoperative pain, a quicker recovery time and require less time to perform (a little more than 10 minutes). Currently, the traditional incision method is still more widely used; however, that is likely to change as more and more doctors learn how to perform the no-scalpel approach.

• Watch a Short Video: Traditional Vasectomies
• Understanding Tubal Ligation

_{Vasectomy Photo © Blausen Medical}