Size four gauges

So earlier this year, after several debates with self over past years, I finally decided to gauge my ears. I started at an 18 because I already had four piercings in a weird pattern in each ear, so I used the bottom piercing on each ear. I then went to a fourteen, to twelve, to eight, six, and now four. This process hurt a lot but then again did not. This is because it only hurt a lot for about two days for each time I moved up a size and was then fine, so in the end it made it seem like it wasn't a big deal anymore. I do this because I really like it. Not for the pain, but more so the experience, and for the looks of course!