Its pretty cheap the steel tapers cost more then the plastic but itll be cheap for you if you wanna just go to 6-8mm, id say maximum 20 pounds lols.

Alright bud Ill tell you what I know and what I did. I pierced my ears and let them heal for two weeks (normal stud) till I could sqeeze the area pretty hard without any pain etc…

Thos alchohol swabs/bottles of the stuff is the way to go coat the tappers with that before streching etc…

Pretty much I started with a 4mm shoved that right in, best off doing after a shower I found and then going to bed considering the pain throbs although It kinda feels good if you like a burning sensation/ache in your ear, pretty much for the next few days turn the “Taper” just in your ear so it doesnt stick I guess you could call it that . Well if you pull it out its gonna have scab/dried blood on it and fuckin hurts when your putting it back in so leave it in till its healed as I said before leave it in until its not tender/doesnt hurt. Took me about two weeks before I moved up to the next one. Anyway I moved to a 6mm ( I went up 2mm each time depending on how fast my lobes healed ) Did the same shoved it in went to bed woke up its tender although just dont knock it around, although I got smacked in the ear with a football it bled so be careful. Anyways follow as I said and you should be sweet.

Also from what Ive gathered holes close up pretty fast when they are small I left my out for a day by accident and I had to restrech it.

This is what I can do now with my 14mm Hole ;D

Hope this helped