Earlobe piercing still sore after 5 months

[JS87]

I had my earlobes pierced for first time (I'm mid forties) in February. Had them done at a reputable tattoo/ piercing parlour with a needle. They are implant grade titanium bars and were downsized around 4 weeks ago. They are still quite sore to touch. The piercer says they are healed now (they took ages) but he's stumped as to why they are still sore and says they shouldn't be. I'm assuming they probably aren't fully healed inside and that is why the hurt (especially when they twist). I haven't changed the earrings at all other than to get the bar downsized. Are some piercings just slow to heal? Maybe it's my age?

@JS87
I would put the gold ones in. Most gold posts are fine gauge. I had issues with irritation and still do 40 plus years on if I use sooner or any other metal but gold! So hold it is. I never had sleepers on gold. Just studs I turned round. Never looked back after that but I still find curved “posts” difficult.

I have a cartilage piercing in September last year and it still hasn't healed. I was told that I should expect it to take a year to heal. I changed it from Titanium to solid gold, which helped it to settle. If I fiddle it produces pus, then crusts, then tends to become open and exposed again. At the moment it's good, it's got more good days than bad at the moment - have been very tempted to have it removed a number of times. I can't open it unfortunately, else I'd have taken it out.

Whenever earrings have irritated my pierced ears I find wearing gold earrings and washing everyday and night in a Dettol solution works wonders.

Fiddling is definitely bad but I’m always so tempted to fiddle to see if it’s still sore!