DR. WALLACE: I'm a teenage girl who is starting to get facial blemishes. I want to see a doctor before my complexion worsens, but my grandmother (who lives with us) has convinced my mom to have me wait "to see what happens" before I get medical help. It's the medical bill that concerns Grandmother. Please tell her and my mother that I need to see a doctor soon. I don't want to have people staring at me because I have a face that is filled with blemishes. — Nameless, DeKalb, Ill.

MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER: This young lady needs to visit a dermatologist as soon as possible. Taking a wait-and-see attitude would be a big mistake. Her complexion problems are unlikely to improve without medical assistance, and the sooner problems are treated, the easier and less costly the treatment will be.

A healthy complexion for a teenage young lady is of prime concern. Please get her the treatment she needs without delay.

MY FEAR IS THAT YOU CAN'T STOP DRINKING

DR. WALLACE: I'm in my third year of study at Harvard University. I was an honors student in high school and my university grades are excellent. I plan to enter the law profession and then go into politics when I complete all my necessary education.

Recently, I read about a study that found that students with low grade-point averages consume more than 11 drinks per week while students with the highest grade-point averages consume four drinks per week or less. I dispute this finding. I have a 3.75 grade-point average and I enjoy between 14 and 21 beers a week. Many are consumed while doing schoolwork in my dorm room. Does this mean that I would have a better than 3.75 grade-point average if I consumed four or less beers during a seven-day period?

People and institutions waste a lot of time, energy and money trying to "scientifically" discover what makes humans tick. Wouldn't the world be a better place if all this wasted time and money were going to educate, feed, clothe, house and medically aid the poor and the downtrodden? — Sean, Boston, Mass.

SEAN: I have a better idea about helping the poor and downtrodden that you are so concerned about. Just think of the staggering amount of money wasted on drugs, tobacco and, yes, liquor. If these wasted funds were directed to those in need, we'd solve the problem of global poverty in a few weeks.

It doesn't take a lot of time and money to determine that excessive drinking by college students interferes with studies and causes GPA's to bottom out. There are exceptions to every rule, of course. Congratulations on being lucky enough to be one of those exceptions. You have excellent grades and I wish you success as you pursue your career aims.

If you're really curious whether your grades would be even higher if you cut back sharply on your drinking, why don't you try it? My fear is that you can't. Anyone who puts away as much alcohol as you do on a weekly basis is likely addicted to it and headed for trouble down the road, perhaps in midlife.

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 rwallace@galesburg.net. 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.