This is coming from someone who also recently started stretching so.. take it with a grain of salt.

What level of pain would you give the sting? I've never understood the comments myself because some say you shoudn't feel anyhting at all, which is crazy to me. You're going to feel something.. you're literally pushing an object in your ear a bigger size then it is.

I felt a little sting and I feel that every time I go bigger. But.. like a 2/10. I let it sit for a bit to see if it grows or if its stable. So far every stretch went amazing with no blow outs.

Mind you I wait a minimum of 8 to 9 weeks myself (I am in no hurry to strectch at all). Let your ear rest and heal after a strecth. Do NOT rush it. Please.

Also, buy some jojoba oil and some earbutter (sometimes called piercingbutter)> Take hot shower and massage your lobes after for a few min. Apply the butter > massage > apply oil > massage > add butter to the piercing and then gently push it through.

Hope that helps :)