I've had my right helix pierced for almost 7 months now and it still hurts. Sometimes it hurts so much, I can't lie on that ear. Is that normal? I know the healing process is supposed to be 6 months to a year.

you should go back to the person who pierced it and have them look at it, unless you suspect its infected then see a doctor (ie redness, puss, visible veins, heat...). in the meantime soak it in a saline solution or take a gauze, soak it in the saline, and place it on your piercing for however long. you can do this once or twice a day but watch for dryness (do not apply lotion if it gets dry just lay off the saline). i hope this helps and good luck!

I don't think it's infected. It looks good on the outside. Looks like a normal piercing. My ear only gets red when I clean the dry skin around the piercing, but that's probably to be expected.

I should go back to the piercer to have her look at it.

Do you still have the original jewellery in place? Sometimes they pierce with a larger ring to make cleaning/healing easier; but putting any pressure on these rings (ie, sleeping on that side) can cause pain. If it's not infected, try switching out the jewellery to either a smaller/tighter hoop (so that putting pressure on it doesn't bump your cartilage around when lying down), or replace it with a stud.

I left the rather large rings from my conch piercings in for way too long, and they always felt a little tender, even after they had been fully healed. After I switched them out (I replaced them with the shortest labret jewellery I could find so they had a flat back to 'em), they began to feel better almost instantly. Sleeping on either side hasn't hurt my ears in the slightest since. =)

I've got a 3.5 year old industrial that's perfectly healed, but still gets sore if I sleep on it. It just really depends on the person - sometimes people are fine laying on it with a week, sometimes people are never able to lay on it.

ETA: meanwhile, my conch has been painless since day 1.

It might also hurt because of your recently diagnosed health concern...sometimes those with that problem have skin problems too. If it's really a problem and your piercer doesn't see anything wrong with it, I might see a doctor about it. I hope you're doing well otherwise though!!

I was thinking the same thing, actually. I told my mom it will probably heal in time. I really don't want to take it out.

When I had my cartilage done, it took almost a year for it to heal fully and it still gets sore if I have over the ear headphones on it funny nearly two years later.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, honestly, if there isn't an obvious problem with it. Even if you turn up with a bump that weeps clear fluid, those will go away without issue normally. c:

I've been diagnosed Diabetic recently and it will probably take my cartilage a little longer to heal.

Maybe so. Still, I'd just keep it clean, keep hair from it, the usual stuff. -v-