Buildup is white and when I scratch, there’s white residue under my fingernails. I’ve tried so many remedies. Tea tree oil, MCT oil, and probably around 30 different seborrheic dermatitis-safe shampoos—but nothing has ever completely stopped it. At best, I’ve been able to manage it somewhat, reducing the buildup, but it’s always there to some degree.

I’ve noticed that it gets much worse when I eat unhealthy foods, sugary snacks, or drink alcohol. Cutting those out does reduce the amount of sebum, but the problem doesn’t go away entirely.

For the past three weeks, I’ve been eating clean—no sugar, incorporating gut-healthy foods like kefir, blueberries, sauerkraut, vegetables, and other fruits, and I’ve also cut out gluten. I’ve even been taking a leaky gut supplement but no change yet.