Introductions discussion

I’m fairly new to the world of caging. Even though I own a few different types, I still have some queries..

1. Does it help more to pick a cage with extra space (while soft), giving you room for growth? Or is it better to choose a tighter model that leaves virtually no wiggle room?
2. The cages I’ve tested usually leave me irritated after about a week of wearing them.. what can be done to prevent this? (My current cages all feature a solid base ring) Thanks beforehand.