When the FDA approved silicone breast implants in 2006, they deemed them to be safe, but cautioned that they would need to be replaced every 10 years. This seemingly definitive statement is in fact misleading. Breast implants sold in the U.S. in fact have a lifetime warranty against leakage/rupture, and it seems self-evident that the manufacturers are not planning on replacing every implant for free within 10 years. The FDA points to a high re-operation rate (up to 40% over 10 years after implantation), but that is not the same as saying implants have to be replaced. Most of these re-operations are for conditions not requiring implant replacement or for simple size change request. In fact, we can expect most implants to last quite a bit longer than 10 years.