It’s not the stag party many young men might think of, but coming together with buddies to get vasectomies is a new trend Vancouver’s Dr. Neil Pollock thinks is a good thing.
In a Global News segment recently, four high school pals from Maple Ridge had lunch then headed into Pollock’s office for four vasectomy procedures. The lighthearted approach to the minor surgery with big implications is part of a phenomenon in which men are taking responsibility for family planning, said Pollock.
“The brosectomy is a larger trend that’s been increasing in popularity over the last few years,” he said. “We did not coin the term. We noticed an increasing amount of people reaching out to book group appointments with their friends, and our team loved the idea. We wanted to support the group by making the appointment fun, comfortable and memorable.”
Any surgery is stress-inducing and men may be squeamish about this one in particular, even though it is quick, painless and easy.
“The brosectomy transforms a potentially anxious appointment into something fun,” said Pollock, who is a familiar face in the Jewish community. “It is understandable for a guy to feel anxious about getting a vasectomy. In addition to concerns about pain and recovery, many men are influenced by stigmas surrounding men’s sexual and reproductive health. Some worry that a vasectomy will strip them of their manhood, or affect their performance in the bedroom, neither of which are accurate, of course.”
A brosectomy turns it into an adventure.
“Friends can support each other leading up to the procedure, and during the recovery period afterwards,” he said. “It creates a positive, safe environment for men to discuss their sexual and reproductive health.”
In contrast with other forms of birth control, a vasectomy makes a lot of sense, Pollock argues.
“A vasectomy offers males the opportunity to demonstrate care and concern for their partner’s best interests by accepting the responsibility of birth control in the relationship,” he said. “We consider a vasectomy the ultimate form of birth control. It is safe, effective and, when performed by experienced physicians, can be done in under five minutes, with extremely high success rates.”
Vasectomy techniques have advanced significantly in recent years, said Pollock, and the minimally invasive technique his office uses features no needles, scalpels, cautery or metal clips. They are much simpler than a parallel birth control operation for women.
“When compared to a vasectomy, tubal ligations are much more invasive and pose a higher risk for serious complications,” Pollock said. “Birth control pills, on the other hand, are a temporary solution and affect hormonal balance, with many users experiencing nausea, headaches, cramps, weight gain and challenges with their menstrual cycle and libido. On top of physical and sexual complications, hormonal changes can also result in emotional instability or mood swings.”
In a brosectomy, the friends arrive together but the vasectomies take place separately.
“The procedures take place back to back, not in one room,” Pollock clarified. “We haven’t gotten that request yet!”
With each procedure taking only a few minutes, the group of four were in and out of Pollock’s clinic in less than an hour.
“We sent them for lunch beforehand, gave them their custom muscle shirts with their faces and ‘Brosectomy 2024’ splashed boldly over front and back, and then performed the procedures,” said Pollock. “Afterwards, the group headed home to begin their recovery. They celebrated with a barbecue steak dinner and a scotch.”
“I didn’t really want to do it alone,” said the ringleader of the foursome who, as Global News put it, took “a trip for the snip.”
Anxieties are natural, Pollock said, and talking with professionals is key to addressing them.
“If you’re worried about getting a vasectomy, or your sexual health in general, we encourage you to talk with people you trust,” he said. “Discussing and addressing your sexual health is important. Pollock Clinics is always here to help.”