Should there be a burning sensation after gaugin ears from a 12 gauge to an 8 gauge?

I know I probably should have gone to a 10 first, but I was kinda impatient in that sense this time. I formerly went from a 16 to a 14 to a 12 in about 2 1/2 months time. There was no bleeding and no ripping whatsoever when going to the 8, now just an itching and burning sensation. Will this fade after a while? Should I sterilize the area each day? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!