I don't know about official research, but I wonder if it is like the too tan woman or man that everyone knows... freakishly dark and skin like leather, yet they see themselves as never being quie as tan as they would like. Your observation about men thinking the bigger the better is right on - it's just the way we think. I think the right size has a lot to do with placement as well as the site it is placed on. On this site there are plenty of examples of jewelery that is clearly just too much metel for the wearer, yet on another person it looks perfectly natural. Thankfully we all have the freedom to do as we choose. Everyone here supports each other's freedom to express themselves and adorn their bodies in any way they choose and that is what I love about The Tribe! If you want to hang Big Ben on your penis or bowling balls on yout nips it's OK! LOL!

I agree with you. Sometimes less is really more. I plan to go with an 8g CBT and that will be it. I also agree that we are free to make an informed choose. I love my PA and have no regrets. Mark

For me, I always wanted more weight, and with a larger Guage, comes more weight. Truthfully, the larger the Guage, the more comfortable my PA becomes. It even seems to be easier to urinate with a larger ring. I cannot speak for anyone else, but some larger facial piercings do not look all that great to me. But I like big lobes, and moderate tounges. To Me big stretches look best where not everyone can see them.... like Nipples and Genitals. keep it private, untill someone wants to see it...

Ok my opinion and that's the beauty of free speech! when I finally decided to get get a genital piercing, i researched sites like this and looked at pictures, read articles, chatted with pp, etc. Then I went in to get a 4 gauge piercing...lol, guess what that wasn't going to happen so how do i get the look i want? Answer - stretch, well stretching was as much fun as getting a piercing (pain=fun). so i began from a 10 ga and headed towards my goal of 4 ga. when i got there, i wanted to go to 0ga for what ever reason its like getting pierced again and not having all the healing time. so now i have my 0 ga cbr waiting for the final stretch. in order to stop at my goal i will have to get another piercing and yes i will strtch up to a 4 ga. i want a hafad and a guiche; i might even be bad ass enough to get them at the same time. Stretching is ego and we control it, unlike so much in our lives. My opinion thats all.

Cheers, I agree, good point

When I lost 1 of my first 2 piercings, mainly due to impatience and inexperience, it felt like I had lost my firstborn. When I lost 1 of my second set it felt equally as bad, but this time it was my fault for not being up front with my piercer and I guess with myself. I agree that most of us think we can stop at a certain guage, but as was said before, the stretching experience is as exciting as the initial pierce.

I think for me the stretching has been fun,painful,and a pure rush like the piercing its self.I had a goal of stretching my pa to a 2 or 0g.I'm now at 6g after 8 mos and will be moving to 4 next week(I hope).I decided to let my pa self stretch for awhile this time and maybe not even have to use a taper? In the mean time I have been busy piercing my sac(in the last few weeks have added 2 hafadas and a center scrotal,all @ 10g and will eventually move them up to 6g,as well as keep adding to a ladder/ladders.Each new piercing and stretch is like another notch in my belt and a great feeling of satisfaction for being able to express myself in a way that only I can feel and the rewards are great!

Stretching is just like another piercing. I have to admit that it is the new pain that gets me to stretch. Now I move from 2ga to 0ga

Hi Michael, I agree with all of the comments above. jmking and I however seem to agree the most. I have been stretching my genital piercings for the weight and then secondly, the look. As jmking states, the bigger the gauge, the heavier the piece (that's why I don't like using titanium--too light). And then, we can always add additional weight to what we are wearing, i.e., in my case, I have a 00ga curved barbell (I hate having to mess with the ball of cbrs, particularly at that large gauge) attached to each of the cbrs (three) that I use for guiches and the four scrotal piercings). I do the same to the PA jewelry. They all really add extra weight which I really enjoy. Now, of course, when I go to the gym, I take those curved barbells off, so as not to shock our locals. They also help stretch the current jewelry I wear. Today, I am expecting a 2ga piece for my PA to replace the 4ga I am currently wearing. Again, I'm excited because that will give me extra weight.
Gustavo

I have had my PA for 15 years and during most of that time I wore a 6 gage and was pretty satisfied with it. It was not to scary when I went to the gym and showed it off in the shower, in fact I got a pretty positive response from the guys who just could not take there eyes off it.
But then I started talking to other guys out there who were gaging up and at first I did not think I could do it, but then I discovered how great it felt. It is different gaging up than piercing. There is some discomfort, but the larger you go, the less it hurts. It is a paradox.
You would think the larger it gets the more pain it creates, but that is just not so. There is an aesthetic involved here, but let's face it, the world is not going to see it. In fact, very few people actually get the honor to see our accomplishments. And make no mistake, it is an accomplishment to gage up from a 10 gage initial piercing to a 0 or 00 gage. It take time patience and money, but the joy is in the journey and being able to share that experience with other guys and gals who appreciate the experience. And what is terrific about gaging up and stretching is that you can retire your piercing for an extended time and it shrinks several sizes down and then you can do the whole process again. I have stretched up to a 0 gage which is really my max, (Any larger and my meatus is blocked), retired the PA and it shrinks down to about a 6 gage. Then I just start the whole process again for the fun of it.
For me I find a 12 gage just as sexy as a 00 gage. The decision belongs to the wearer and I am just grateful to see any metal through a man's genitalia. Great discussion!

Thanks for all your great comments.
In the meantime I am again at 10mm (00g). I found a very nice barbell and decided to keep this for a while. Have a look at my gallery.

My Pa was done at 10ga, I am now at 2ga having gone up in steps. However, I have never actually set out to stretch my piercing, other than initially from 10 to 8 it has just done so naturally with the weight of the jewllery.
I like the feel and look of the current size, and it is very comfortable to wear!

I take my previous post back. I want to stretch to a 00g. I think it's hott. I have a large penis with a big head and my piercer says the head will accommodate a 00g with not problems. Love the weight. It's addictive...