Went up from 8ga to 6 today

[the cheat]

Its been about 6 weeks from when I got my PA done in 8 gauge. I wanted to go up after a month to 6 gauge but it took the extra two weeks because nobody (local or online) had the 6 gauge curved barbell in stock. I went to thechaingang.com (mods, feel free to blank that out if it's not allowed to mention websites) and bought a 3/4" curved barbell with 1/4 and 3/8" balls.

After two and a half weeks (!!!) it arrived and I went to my piercer to have it put in. The website said that they don't normally stock such large sizes and it would need to be ordered and would be a two week delay.

Let me tell you, this hurt like HELL when they put the taper in! Where the actual needle pain when I was first pierced was 2 seconds max, this was 30 seconds of continuous pain. I was so overwhelmed with the pain that all I could do was lay there and deal with it.

It still hurts (3.5 hours later) but it's just a little sting now. I probably should have just bought an 8ga barbell instead of going the size up since I'm the only person who knows what's inside my urethra - you can't see anything except for the two balls - which look pretty damn good. It's a shame that my piercer had to place the needle to the right under my urethra as there was a vein that he (and I) didn't want to hit.

I would imagine in a couple days I won't have regretted going up a size.

[TWFJR]

the cheat, my advice is to go large first time around. Not many head that advice. But experience tells me that you'd be better off with a large initial piercing. You said it, the needle hurt for a moment but the stretching was 30 seconds. It was difficult to push in and it was painful. Bet your feet were feeling it too. I keep trying to enlarge my PA but it just does not seem to take. I'm talking about the urethra. It is not stretching like I'd like it to. I first did a 10 ga. and that was not enough. 10 ga. was as large of a needle that I could buy in the seventies. Now dermal punches are available. I ended up making a dermal punch for my ampallang. But my PA was redone using a leather punch (sterilized) and I did two strikes. I can get an 00 ga. in the PA but the urethra is slowly stretching. The weight of the jewelry in any new piercing tends to force the piercing to enlarge while healing. The next time you have the urge to enlarge I suggest the punch route, especially the leather punch. The leather punch will allow you to remove tissue from around your already done piercing.

What looks good may not feel good enough. Guys, think larger when considering a PA.

[the cheat]

Hindsight being 20/20, I should have just stuck with the 8ga since I only see a portion of the barbell at any time. As far as I can ascertain, the only effect is the psychological "I have a larger diameter barbell."

Now that most of the stretching pain is done (I'm 90% better) I'm glad I did it. Even though I can't see the larger gauge, it just looks (to me) much better.