I went from a 16ga to an 8ga by shoving an 8ga spike through my ear. Stretched nicely. Spike is divided in 2 thicknesses. Half is 12ga, other half is 8ga. Used alcohol and triple antibaxterial ointment. Ointment also served as lubrication to slip through easily. Back of my lobes are nice and flat, some guys and girls I see have the inside of the lobe stretched outwards, mine are nice and flat, guess the lube worked to slide in easily. Lobes were throbbing for 10 minutes. Fine after that. Never got infected. Still have them on now. Oh and this was 3 weeks after I got the 16ga piercings, heh. Kinda skipped and did it ahead of time. But this is the biggest I'll go. My next is either an industrial or just a regular ball through my upper cartilege(sp?).