When you choose to undergo breast augmentation surgery, you may find yourself researching different breast implant brands. Currently, there are three FDA- approved breast implant brands that dominate the market– Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra.
Our Surgical Team has used all three of these breast implant brands to share his expertise with his patients. The main differences between the three breast implant brands are shared below here for your continuing research.
One of the bigger distinctions between brands is the warranty policy they offer for the breast implants. Generally, breast implants are designed to last for many years, although these breast implants are not meant to last indefinitely. Breast implants will eventually leak and will need to be replaced. Each Breast implant brands offers its own time limitations and warranty program.
Allergan uses cohesive (gummy bear) silicone gel implants, and also makes a line of saline filled implants. This is a pro as the inside gel sticks to itself and does not tend to migrate or bleed if the implant shell is damaged. Allergan also advertises a very “resistant-to-rupture” implant.
Their Natrelle Inspira silicone gel implants are available in a variety of profiles and thicknesses, as well as available in both smooth or textured shells.
Allergan silicone gel breast implants are covered for rupture, seroma, capsular contracture, and ALCL. Allergan saline breast implants are also covered for rupture and ALCL.
If any of these are experiences, then Allergan will replace the implant and its pair. If any of these are experienced within the first decade of your silicone breast augmentation surgery, then Allergan will reimburse you for your expenses– $2000-$7500.
Mentor manufactures two lines of silicone gel and saline implants, also in a variety of profiles and thicknesses depending on your choice of breast implant brands. Mentor uses MemoryShape silicone implants, which are all textured teardrop shaped implants and MemoryGel implants, which are rounded and are either smooth or texture shelled. Mentor advertises a better shape, with a natural upper breast slope.
Both Mentor silicone implants come with the same warranty, a lifetime warranty that provides a replacement implant, and its pair if a rupture is experienced. This warranty option does not cover a capsular contracture, seromas, or ALCL. Mentor will pay up to $3500 for surgical costs. Mentor offers an additional coverage plan for an additional price to cover capsular contracture, seromas, and ALCL.
For their saline implants, no reimbursement for surgery costs is given, but there is a lifetime warranty for cases of deflation. Their $200 enhanced protection program extends coverage to capsular contracture, last seroma, and ALCL, and will reimburse up to $2400 for surgery costs for deflation.
Sientra breast implants are filled with an advertised High Strength Cohesive silicone gel. Their implants may be smooth or textured, although Sientra offers a smaller range or sizes and styles compared to the other breast implant brands.
Like the other breast implant brands, a free lifetime replacement for ruptured silicone gel implants, and the matching pair. Sientra reimburses upto $5000 for surgery costs for a rupture in the first 20 years. Sientra reimburses upto $2000 for surgery costs if capsular contracture, seroma, or double capsule is experienced within the first 2 years.
Having experience using all three breast implant brands, I recommend and have been using Allergan breast implants solely now because it has the thickest shell, minimizing leaking and bleeding of the molecules.
Here we see a 43-year old patient post breast implant augmentation, using silicone smooth shelled breast implant brands.
