

Breast Augmentation Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Breast Implants
How many women have breast augmentations every year?
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, breast augmentation was the number one cosmetic surgery for women in 2007, with almost 400,000 operations performed. It is now the most popular plastic surgery for women.
Do women who want breast implants have higher or lower self–esteem?
Neither. Augmentation candidates do report more negative feelings about their appearance in certain situations, such as when they are looking at their body in a mirror, but these feelings do not appear to have any impact on overall self–esteem. Similarly, despite their dissatisfaction with their breasts, augmentation candidates do not indicate that they feel greater dissatisfaction with their overall appearance (PRS 2007 120 (December Supplement 1):106S).
In that case, do breast augmentation patients feel it was worth the effort?
Studies have found little change in general measures such as physical health, activity, or work capacity. However, there are dramatic improvements in specific measurements, like body perception, feelings while wearing clothes, attraction ability, and a sense of femininity. There are positive effects on factors that contribute to psychological well-being and quality of life. A recent study of breast implant recipients at six years showed a 94% satisfaction rate (PRS 2007 120 (December Supplement 1):13S, 106S).
How many companies make breast implants?
In the United States, there are two principal manufacturers of breast implants, Mentor Corporation and Allergan, Inc., formerly Inamed Aesthetics. Both produce breast implants of high quality. Mentor Corporation implants are manufactured in the United States. In Dr. Virginia Pittman–Waller's plastic surgery practice, we use breast implants manufactured by Mentor Corporation exclusively. Many of the questions below, therefore, are answered by reference to Mentor breast implants and using information provided by Mentor Corporation.
What Gives the Breast Its Shape?

The breast consists of milk ducts and glands, surrounded by fatty tissue that provides its shape and feel. Situated beneath the breast is the pectoralis major muscle or chest muscle. Factors such as pregnancy, when milk glands are temporarily enlarged, rapid weight loss, and the effects of gravity as you age combine to stretch the skin, which may cause the breast to droop or sag.
What is a Breast Implant?
A breast implant is a sac or implant shell of silicone elastomer, a kind of rubber, filled with either saline fluid or silicone gel and surgically implanted under your chest tissues.
There are two basic types of breast implants: saline–filled and silicone gel–filled.
saline–filled Breast Implants

There are two families of saline implants manufactured by Mentor Corporation—one known as saline–filled implants and the other an expandable implant known as Spectrum implants.
The saline–filled breast implant is inflated with a saline, or saltwater, solution through a valve. Saline is much like the fluid that makes up most of the human body. The saline–filled family of breast implants has a self-sealing valve located on the front of the implant that is used for filling the device at the time of the breast augmentation surgery.

The SpectrumTM family has a valve on the back of the implant that allows saline to be added after breast augmentation surgery, permitting the doctor to adjust the size of your breasts after your breast augmentation surgery by either adding or removing saline for up to six months after your surgery. The fill tube is then removed, closing the valve, and preventing any further adjustments to the implant.
Silicone gel–filled Breast Implants
A silicone gel–filled breast implant is filled with silicone gel, a soft-solid substance. Silicone gel–filled breast implants are discussed in greater detail in the questions and answers below. In November 2006, the FDA approved the use of silicone-gel filled breast implants for breast augmentation surgery and breast reconstruction surgery. Read the complete FDA statement towards the bottom of this FAQ page.
The following table from Mentor Corporation compares the characteristics of Mentor silicone gel–filled and saline–filled breast implants:
MemoryGelTM |
Saline |
|---|---|
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|
FDA Approved |
FDA Approved |
Filled with Mentor's proprietary silicone gel—MemoryGelTM—that holds together uniformly while retaining the natural give that resembles breast tissue. |
Filled with a saltwater solution similar to the fluid that makes up most of the human body; slightly firmer feel. |
Fixed fill volume. |
Flexible fill volume, allowing the surgeon to adjust the volume during the procedure. |
Three projection options: Moderate, Moderate Plus, High Profile. |
Three projection options: Moderate, Moderate Plus, High Profile. |
Two shell surfaces available: smooth and textured. |
Two shell surfaces available: smooth and textured. |
Slightly larger incision size with various options for incision placement. |
Smaller incision size with various options for incision placement. |
Covered by Mentor's standard or Enhanced Advantage Limited Warranty and lifetime replacement policy. |
Covered by Mentor's standard or Enhanced Advantage Limited Warranty and lifetime replacement policy. |
What is silicone?
Silicone is derived from silicon, a semi-metallic or metal-like element that in nature combines with oxygen to form silicon dioxide, or silica. Beach sand, crystals, and quartz are silica. Silica is the most common substance on earth. Heating silica with carbon at a high temperature can produce silicon. Further processing can convert the silicon into a long chemical chain, or polymer, called silicone—which can be a liquid, a gel, or a rubbery substance. Various silicones are used in lubricants and oils, as well as in silicone rubber. Silicone can be found in many common household items, such as polishes, suntan and hand lotion, antiperspirants, soaps, processed foods, waterproof coatings, and chewing gum.
Are silicone implants safe?
Special studies have been done and have determined that much higher levels of silicone have been found in cows' milk and commercially available infant formula than are found in the breast milk of women with breast implants. The federally chartered Institute of Medicine, a component of the National Academy of Sciences, in a study published by the National Academies Press, concluded,
There is no evidence that silicone breast implants are responsible for any major diseases of the whole body. Women are exposed to silicone constantly in their daily lives.
For more information regarding the safety of silicone, please refer to the Institute of Medicine report, a 35–page report, entitled Information for Women about the Safety of Silicone Breast Implants. It is available for purchase and download from the National Academies Press website at: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9618&page=1.
Who is a Candidate for saline–filled Breast Implants?
Saline breast implants are to be used in women for the following purposes:
Breast augmentation is done to increase the size and proportion of a woman's breasts. A woman must be at least 18 years old to qualify for breast augmentation with saline breast implants.
Breast reconstruction is done to restore a woman's breast shape after a mastectomy or injury that resulted in either partial or total loss of one or both breasts, or to correct a birth defect. Women of all ages are candidates for breast reconstruction with saline breast implants.
Who is a Candidate for Silicone gel–filled Breast Implants?
Silicone breast implants have been surgically implanted in millions of women in the United States and around the world. Silicone breast implants feel more like natural breast tissue and are another option for breast augmentation.
Mentor Corporation has prepared a 60–page booklet about silicone gel–filled breast implants. It contains much valuable information and can be read and downloaded at http://www.mentorcorp.com/pdf/approved/Augmentation.pdf.
Silicone implants are to be used in women for the following purposes:
Breast augmentation is done to increase the size and proportion of a woman's breasts. A woman must be at least 22 years old for breast augmentation with silicone breast implants.
Breast reconstruction is done to restore a woman's breast shape after a mastectomy or injury that resulted in either partial or total loss of the breast or breasts, or to correct a birth defect. Women of all ages are candidates for breast reconstruction with silicone gel–filled breast implants.
Who is Not Eligible for Breast Implants?
Contraindications (inadvisable treatment) for breast implants include women who are currently pregnant or nursing, have an existing malignant or pre-malignant cancer of their breast without adequate treatment, or have an active infection anywhere in their body. Women who fall below the age limits set by the FDA and want breast implants for aesthetic reasons.
What are the Alternatives to Breast Augmentation?
- Accept your breasts as they are.
- Wear a padded bra or external prostheses.
It is important to give yourself some time after reviewing and considering the information in this web site before deciding whether to have breast augmentation surgery.
Are There Different Styles of Breast Implants?
Breast implants come in a variety of shapes, profiles, surface textures, and sizes. Breast implants are available with textured or smooth surface shells, in either round or contoured shapes, in high or moderate profiles. Mentor's Spectrum implant is an adjustable saline–filled breast implant that lets your plastic surgeon adjust the size of your breasts after your breast augmentation surgery. In an office procedure, the doctor can change your implant size by either adding or removing saline for up to six months after your surgery.
What are the Differences between High, Moderate, and Low Profile Implants?

High profile breast implants have a greater forward projection. In other words, for the same volume, the high profile implant (left) will have a smaller base, but will project forward more than a moderate profile implant (middle) or a low profile implant (right). For women with smaller chests, we can achieve the same forward projection with smaller diameter breast implants.
What are the differences between smooth and textured breast implants?

Breast implant shells have a smooth (left) or textured (right) surface. As a natural reaction to any device placed in the body, scar tissue will form around the breast implant surface, creating a capsule. In some women, the capsule can tighten, harden, and squeeze the implant. This occurrence is called capsular contracture.
Textured breast implants were originally designed to reduce the chance of capsular contracture. Some information in the literature on small numbers of patients suggests that surface texturing reduces the chance of severe capsular contracture, but, according to Mentor Corporation, clinical information from studies of a large number of women with Mentor breast implants shows no difference in the likelihood of developing capsular contracture with textured breast implants compared to smooth-surfaced breast implants.
Textured breast implants are generally firmer than smooth breast implants, due to the thicker shell. There are some reports that textured breast implants take longer to drop into place, resulting in breast implants that appear higher on the chest for a while. Also, the deflation rate is a small percentage higher due to the slight imperfections purposely made on the implant surface during manufacture. Although the safety reports are basically the same for both surface types, smooth breast implants are more commonly used.
Dr. Pittman–Waller prefers to use smooth breast implants for breast augmentation because they move more easily than textured breast implants behind the pectoral muscle. Thus they have a more natural feel and motion to them.
What are the differences between round and contoured or anatomical breast implants?

Contoured breast implants (right) are designed to have a more natural shape, especially in breast reconstruction. In breast augmentation, however, especially when a submuscular placement is used, the results are about the same. The muscle and chest wall exert forces on the implant on all sides, rather equally, resulting in a more rounded appearance for contoured breast implants. When round breast implants (left) are held vertically, as they would be in a breast when the body is upright, gravity tends to drag the fill material down to the bottom of the implant, giving it a look closer to a contoured implant than when it is lying flat on a table. (The photographs of the breast implants above were taken with the breast implants lying flat.)
Individuals seeking breast reconstruction opt for the contoured breast implant. Round breast implants, however, are the more common choice for breast augmentation as a rounder, more voluptuous breast is generally preferred. Dr. Pittman–Waller prefers to use round breast implants for breast augmentation because they fill out the breast more completely. By placing them behind the pectoral muscle, she believes that her patients' breasts retain their natural, distinctive, personal shape, but have a fuller look.
Are Breast Implants Permanent?
Breast implants are not considered lifetime devices. You will likely undergo implant removal with or without replacement over the course of your life. Whether you are undergoing augmentation or reconstruction, be aware that breast implantation may not be a one–time surgery. You are likely to need additional surgery and doctor visits over the course of your life.
Many of the changes to your breasts following implantation are irreversible. They cannot be undone. Problems such as deflation, capsular contracture, infection, and shifting can require removal of the breast implants. Many women decide to have the breast implants replaced, but some women do not. If you later choose to have your breast implants removed, you may experience unacceptable dimpling, puckering, wrinkling, or other cosmetic changes of the breast requiring further surgery to correct.
Deposits of calcium can be seen on mammograms and can be mistaken for possible cancer, resulting in additional surgery to biopsy and/or remove the implant to distinguish them from cancer.
What is the expected product life of the implant? How long do breast implants last?
Based on experience to date, a guesstimate for the product life is 15–20 years—averaging about 16 years, according to the Institute of Medicine. However, the Institute of Medicine also says that given the improvements in today's breast implants, it's not possible to say what their lifetime will be in the future. It could be longer than older breast implants.
Breast implants do not need to be changed unless there is a deflation for saline implants or a rupture for silicone implants. There is a 2% rate of deflation for saline implants in the first 10 years. A recent study by Mentor of modern silicone gel breast implants showed no ruptures at all at two years. An Inamed study showed 1% of Inamed silicone gel breast implants had ruptured at an average of 6 years. However, there are women who have had breast implants in for over 25 years with no problems. There is no definitive answer, but it is reasonable to expect to replace breast implants at least once in your life.
How often do modern gel breast implants rupture and what happens if they do?
A recent Mentor study on cohesive gel breast implants followed patients for two years and reported no ruptures during that time. A recent Swedish study of Inamed's cohesive gel breast implants found a rupture rate of 1% at an average six years (5 to 9 years) (PRS 2007 December Supplement 1:77S, 79S).
If you take a knife and slice a Mentor MemoryGel implant and try to squeeze the gel out, you can't. The gel momentarily extrudes when it is squeezed, but then it retracts into its original shape, even though the implant envelope has been sliced. So even if an implant ruptures for some reason, like a strong traumatic blow, the gel won't spill out into the body. Older breast implants had higher rupture rates and the gel would run, but the latest gel implants are more cohesive and much improved over the early ones.
Is it true the replacement of implants is fairly minor?
For removal and replacement of smooth, saline breast implants, yes. The major part of the original operation is the creation of the pocket. When the replacement is needed, the pocket is still there, so all that is needed is to open the pocket, take the old implant out and put in a new one.
If it is a silicone filled implant, the removal of silicone from an older generation implant can take quite a while if it has poured out into the pocket.
Breast Implant Size

For many women, deciding what breast size they want can be the most difficult part about choosing breast augmentation. Generally, the larger you want your cup size to be, the larger the breast implant the doctor will consider using. The doctor will evaluate your existing breast tissue to determine if you have enough to accommodate the desired size of breast implant.
Be aware that if you desire a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, the implant's edges may be visible through your skin after your operation or the implant may be more easily felt. By choosing a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, you may increase the risk of having surgical complications. Also, breast implants that are excessive in size may increase the effects of gravity on your body, which may cause your breasts to prematurely droop or sag.
How do I know what size to become?
Breast implants do not come in bra cup sizes, but in volume amounts such as 300 cc or 400 cc. A woman who wears a 36 A bra will need a larger implant to become a 36 D than a woman who is already a 36 C. It's not an exact science and you need to work together with Dr. Virginia to determine the best size for you.
Remember, if you desire a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, the implant's edges may be visible through your skin after your operation or the implant may be more easily felt. By choosing a breast implant that is too large for your tissue, you may increase the risk of having surgical complications. Also, breast implants that are excessive in size may increase the effects of gravity on your body, which may cause your breasts to prematurely droop or sag. Dr. Pittman–Waller can discuss the pros and cons of different sizes with you to help you decide what size to become.
Can I have saline added to my implants after the surgery?
Most breast implants will allow for additional saline to be added (or removed) after breast augmentation surgery. This is a simple office procedure, and can be done under local anesthetic. It is also important to remember that having saline added or removed, after the port has been closed, may damage the integrity of the valve, making it more prone to leak.
Mentor's Spectrum breast implants, on the other hand, are specifically designed to allow saline solution to be added or withdrawn for a period of six months after your breast augmentation surgery.
How much weight will I gain with my breast implants?
The table below will let you determine how much your breast implants will weigh. The weights listed are the approximate weight for each individual implant, although individual breast implants may differ slightly.
| Implant (cc) | Saline (lb.) | Gel (lb.) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0.24 | 0.23 |
| 125 | 0.30 | 0.28 |
| 150 | 0.35 | 0.34 |
| 175 | 0.41 | 0.40 |
| 200 | 0.47 | 0.45 |
| 225 | 0.52 | 0.51 |
| 250 | 0.58 | 0.56 |
| 275 | 0.64 | 0.62 |
| 300 | 0.69 | 0.67 |
| 325 | 0.75 | 0.73 |
| 350 | 0.80 | 0.78 |
| 375 | 0.86 | 0.83 |
| 400 | 0.91 | 0.89 |
| 425 | 0.97 | 0.95 |
| 450 | 1.03 | 1.00 |
| 475 | 1.08 | 1.06 |
| 500 | 1.14 | 1.11 |
| 525 | 1.19 | 1.17 |
| 550 | 1.25 | 1.22 |
| 575 | 1.30 | 1.28 |
| 600 | 1.36 | 1.34 |
| 625 | 1.41 | 1.39 |
| 650 | 1.47 | 1.45 |
| 675 | 1.53 | 1.50 |
| 700 | 1.58 | 1.57 |
| 725 | 1.65 | 1.63 |
| 750 | 1.69 | 1.68 |
| 775 | 1.75 | 1.73 |
| 800 | 1.81 | 1.78 |
Will my insurance pay for my breast augmentation?
Normally, insurance will not pay for cosmetic breast augmentation surgery. If you need augmentation for reasons of disease, injury, or genetic defects, however, your insurance will normally pay for it. Such reasons include genetic deformities like having one breast significantly larger than the other or seriously misshapen, physical trauma to the breast, or having had a mastectomy. Slight asymmetry is normal. Be sure to call the doctor's office if you have further questions on this topic.
What is the minimum age you have to be to have breast augmentation surgery?
The FDA has approved breast augmentation surgery for purely aesthetic reasons in women 18 and older with saline breast implants and 22 and older with silicone breast implants. If you need breast implants for reconstructive reasons, due to disease, injury, or genetic or congenital reasons, you can qualify for breast augmentation surgery at any age.
Can I get silicone breast implants for my first breast augmentation surgery?
In order to get silicone breast implants for your first augmentation, you must be 22 years old or older. In order to get saline breast implants, you must be at least 18. Whether it is your first breast augmentation surgery or not doesn't matter. You can get silicone breast implants if you are 22 or over. These are federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, so doctors have no choice in the matter of age. If you need breast implants for reconstructive reasons, due to disease, injury, or genetic or congenital reasons, you can qualify for breast augmentation surgery at any age.
FDA Approval of Silicone Breast Implants—The FDA Statement
It's a long story, but it finally ended in November of 2006 when the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, approved the silicone gel implants of Mentor (MemoryGel) and Allergan/Inamed (Natrelle) as safe and effective. The FDA approved the use of silicone gel implants for breast reconstruction in women of all ages and for breast augmentation in women 22 years old and older.
On November 17, 2006, the FDA issued the following statement:
After rigorous scientific review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the marketing of silicone gel–filled breast implants made by two companies for breast reconstruction in women of all ages and breast augmentation in women ages 22 and older. The products are manufactured by Allergan Corp. (formerly Inamed Corp.), Irvine, Calif., and Mentor Corp., Santa Barbara, Calif.
"FDA has reviewed an extensive amount of data from clinical trials of women studied for up to four years, as well as a wealth of other information to determine the benefits and risks of these products," said Daniel Schultz, M.D., Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA. "The extensive body of scientific evidence provides reasonable assurance of the benefits and risks of these devices. This information is available in the product labeling and will enable women and their physicians to make informed decisions."
Now that the products have been determined to be safe and effective, FDA will continue to monitor them by requiring each company to conduct a large postapproval study following about 40,000 women for 10 years after receiving breast implants. FDA often requires postmarket studies to answer important questions that can only be answered once a product is in broader use, such as the incidence of rare adverse events.
FDA's decision to approve these implants was based on a thorough review of each company's clinical (core) and preclinical studies, a review of studies by independent scientific bodies and deliberations of advisory panels of outside experts that heard public comment from hundreds of stakeholders. In addition, FDA conducted inspections of each company's manufacturing facilities to determine that they comply with FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices. Some of the complications reported in the core studies included hardening of the area around the implant, breast pain, change in nipple sensation, implant rupture and the need for additional surgery. However, the majority of women in these studies reported being satisfied with their implants.
In the past decade, a number of independent studies have examined whether silicone gel–filled breast implants are associated with connective tissue disease or cancer. The studies, including a report by the Institute of Medicine, have concluded there is no convincing evidence that breast implants are associated with either of these diseases. However, these issues will be addressed further in the postapproval studies conducted by the companies.
"The silicone breast implant is one of the most extensively studied medical devices," said Schultz. "We now have a good understanding of what complications can occur and at what rates. We also know that women who get these devices will probably need to have additional breast implant surgery at least once. This is valuable information for women who may be considering these products."
Full information about the risks and benefits of the devices can be found in the package and patient labeling mandated by FDA. The patient labeling outlines some of the important factors women should consider when deciding whether to get silicone gel–filled breast implants. Some of these factors are: breast implants are not lifetime devices and a woman will likely need additional surgeries on her breast at least once over her lifetime; many of the changes to a woman's breast following implantation are irreversible; rupture of a silicone gel–filled breast implant is most often silent, which means that usually neither the woman nor her surgeon will know that her implants have ruptured; and a woman will need regular screening MRI examinations over her lifetime to determine if silent rupture has occurred. The device labeling states that a woman should have her first MRI three years after her initial implant surgery and then every two years thereafter. The cost of MRI screening over a woman's lifetime may exceed the cost of her initial surgery and may not be covered by medical insurance. The labeling also states that if implant rupture is noted on an MRI, the implant should be removed and replaced, if needed.
FDA approved the silicone gel–filled breast implants with a number of conditions, including requiring each company to: conduct a large postapproval study; continue its core study through 10 years; conduct a focus group study of the patient labeling; continue laboratory studies to further characterize types of device failure; and track each implant in the event, for example, that health professionals and patients need to be notified of updated product information.
The postapproval studies will continue to gather information about the safety and effectiveness of the implants. Information will be collected about rates of local complications, rates of connective tissue disease and its signs and symptoms, rates of neurological disease and its signs and symptoms, potential effects on offspring of women with breast implants, potential effects on reproduction and lactation, rates of cancer, rates of suicide, potential interference of breast implants with mammography, and MRI compliance and rupture rates.
The postapproval studies will be closely monitored by FDA. FDA anticipates that data from the studies will provide important information for patients and physicians, and may lead to improvements in device labeling. For more information, visit www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastimplants.
Download video sound bites from FDA officials at http://media.medialink.com/home.aspx?Story=32701.
I have heard that breast implant manufacturers have implant warranties, is this true?
Yes. Mentor Corporation offers limited warranties with each implant. See below for the details of the warranties. The breast implants are numbered by lot and each has a serial number for identification. You should receive the implant serial number stickers on your postoperative implant card. Dr. Pittman–Waller will keep this information for your medical records, but you should keep this card in a safe place for your own personal file.
With gel breast implants, each patient receives half of the set of their ID stickers; the other half is forwarded to Mentor Corporation, the manufacturer of the breast implants, with your records and social security number for warranty and identification purposes.
Mentor Advantage & Mentor Enhanced Advantage Warranties
Effective May 1, 2005
Lifetime Product Replacement Policy
- Automatically applies to all recipients of Mentor breast implant products.
- Provides that regardless of the age of the implant, when confirmed deflation or rupture occurs, you are eligible for 1 to 2 no-charge replacement breast implant products of any size in a similar style.
The Mentor Advantage Warranty
The Mentor Advantage is free of charge to all patients who are implanted with Mentor saline–filled and silicone-filled breast implant products.
- Lifetime product replacement policy
- 10 years and up to $1200 financial assistance for operating room, anesthesia, and surgical charges not covered by insurance
- Free contralateral (opposite side) implant replacement upon surgeon request
- Non–cancelable terms
The Mentor Enhanced Advantage Warranty
This optional warranty is available for both saline–filled and silicone-filled breast implant products and, to be eligible, must be purchased for an enrollment fee of $100 within 45 days from implantation.
- Lifetime product replacement policy
- 10 years and up to $2400 financial assistance for operating room, anesthesia, and surgical charges not covered by insurance from the date of implant.
- Free contralateral (opposite side) implant replacement upon surgeon request
- Non–cancelable terms
With both Mentor Advantage and Mentor Enhanced Advantage it is important to maintain your own records to ensure validation of your enrollment, as it is possible your doctor may not retain your records for the entire duration of the warranty.
Products Covered
The Mentor Advantage and Enhanced Advantage (if purchased) coverages apply to all Mentor breast implants that are implanted in the United States and Puerto Rico after May 1, 20054 provided implants have been:
- Implanted in accordance with the Mentor package insert, current to the date of implantation, and other notifications or instructions published by Mentor
- Used by appropriately qualified, licensed surgeons, in accordance with accepted surgical procedures
Events Covered
The Mentor Advantage and Enhanced Advantage coverages apply to the following:
- Deflation due to crease fold failure, patient trauma, or unknown cause
- Loss of valve integrity
Other loss–of–shell–integrity events also may be covered by this program. Mentor reserves the right to determine if specific, additional events should be covered.
Events Not Covered
The Mentor Advantage and Enhanced Advantage coverages do not apply to the following:
Download the Advantage Warranty Overview Brochure. Download the Full Enhanced Advantage Warranty & Terms here.
- Removal of intact implants due to capsular contracture, wrinkling, or rippling
- Loss of implant shell integrity resulting from reoperative procedures, open capsulotomy, or closed compression capsulotomy procedures
- Removal of intact implants for size alteration You may also obtain a copy of the complete program from Dr. Pittman–Waller's office or by downloading the following brochures from Mentor Corporation:
Footnotes:
- Lifetime Product Replacement Policy: Mentor will provide replacement Mentor product of any size in the same or similar style as the originally implanted product free of charge for the lifetime of the patient. Upon surgeon's request, a different implant style may be selected (subject to a charge of the difference between product list prices). Refer to the Mentor Advantage Limited Warranty for eligibility and program details.
- Operating room and anesthesia charges to be given payment priority. In order to qualify for financial assistance, you will need to sign a Release form.
- One warranty payout per enrollment fee; enrollment in the program for replacement device will require additional $100 enrollment fee.
- For breast implants implanted prior to this date, contact Mentor Corporation for information regarding any applicable warranty terms.
Some of the questions on our FAQ pages were drawn from the FAQs at BreastImplants4you.com and have been included with their permission.
More Breast Enlargement FAQs
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