DR. WALLACE: I'm a 17-year-old young woman who is very concerned about my complexion. Until the last few months I had a perfectly clear complexion. At the beginning of our school summer break, my boyfriend and I began a sexual relationship. About three weeks later, I started to notice that my face was breaking out. We have been sexually active for about two months and my complexion is not clearing up.

Is it possible that my sexual activity is causing my complexion problem? Our sexual activity hasn't bothered my boyfriend's complexion. — Nameless, Lima. Ohio.

NAMELESS: I talked with Dr. Jeffrey Lauber, a Southern California dermatologist, and this is his answer: "There is no evidence that sexual activity has any role in causing acne. Sexual activity or the lack of sexual activity will not influence your acne condition."

He suggested that you visit a dermatologist at your earliest convenience, and said that he was 99 percent sure your complexion will improve with proper treatment.

THE STORY MIGHT HAVE A HAPPY ENDING

DR. WALLACE: My mother found a pack of cigarettes in my room and blew her mind until I convinced her I was only keeping them for my best friend, whose father is a minister. This is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I thought she'd be cool and tell me she was happy the cigarettes weren't mine.

But, instead, she called my best friend's mother and told her everything. Now my girlfriend is grounded for two months and won't talk to me. Since I really didn't do anything wrong, I don't understand why my friend is mad at me. Do you? — Nameless, Nashville, Tenn.

NAMELESS: What you did wrong was to hide your friend's cigarettes. Her problem became yours. Chances are, after your friend serves her "sentence, the friendship will return. And, if your friend stops smoking for good, then this story has a happy ending.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Jeremy Segrott