Earstretching.net

So I've been stretching for a few months using tape, but I bought my first actual taper and plugs recently at 8ga. I've tried several times to put the taper through, but it gets stuck about half way and I cannot force it.
But then yesterday on a whim, or perhaps because I'm an idiot, I thought I would try to get the plug in by itself, and it went in with very little difficulty. Is this terribly bad for my ear? I've compared the size of the taper and the plug and they look the same, but maybe the taper is bigger? How standardized are the sizes?
Thanks for any help!

Sizes can vary quite a bit according to manufacturer and material. Also gauge and mm do not correspond in rounded numbers, so for example an 8G is often labellede 8G/3mm, but the correct measurement in mm is actually 3,264 mm.

If you wait long enough between stretches your ears will be loose and relaxed enough for the next size to go in with no problems = no damage, no problem.
But if if you rush it or force it through, then yes, it's bad for your ears.