DR. WALLACE: I'm 17 and live with my parents. They are nice people and have been very good to me. I love them very much. Last week I received the shock of my life. I was looking for my birth certificate because I needed it for a part-time job as a food server at a restaurant.

My mother acted strange when I asked her for it because I had never seen it before. First she said she thought it was lost, then she said, "No, I think it's misplaced." Then my dad said, "Give her birth certificate to her, Beverly."

When I saw it, I realized that my parents weren't married when I was born. I asked them when they got married and there was a whole lot of silence. Finally, my mom said, "We were never married." I couldn't believe it. I started crying and so did my mom. Not having my parents married means that I am illegitimate. This doesn't really bother me, but will that hurt me later in life when I have to show my birth certificate? — Nameless, Springfield, Ill.

NAMELESS: The cruel idea that any child could be "illegitimate" is, thankfully, as outmoded as many other old prejudices. The purpose of a birth certificate is to verify date of birth, not to establish "legitimacy." And the fact that your parents have different last names on the certificate means nothing — it's been commonplace for some women to keep their last names after marriage for at least a generation now.

Believe me, you will be judged in life on your character, not on what is written on your birth certificate. Mom and Dad created the problem by not being upfront with you. They chose to live in a common-law relationship rather than a formal marriage. The least they can do now is to tell you why.

BOYS HAVE MORE COMPLEXION PROBLEMS

DR. WALLACE: My brother and I are twins and we both have mild cases of acne. We are 16 years old. Our 17-year-old sister has a perfect complexion. We have also noticed that guys seem to have more complexion problems than girls. Is this a fact, or are we just imagining this? - Twins, Portland, Ore.

TWINS: Almost all teens have some sort of complexion problem, ranging from a blackhead or two to severe acne. Fortunately, only about 5 percent of teens suffer from the worst form.

Girls tend to have facial blemishes earlier than the boys, starting at about age 14, but boys generally have more severe and longer-lasting skin problems. One theory has it that girls (who are more self-conscious about appearance) appear to suffer less from skin problems because they seek treatment sooner and more often than guys do.

But teens who have social issues because of a complexion problem can receive help. Medical science has produced products that reduce and eliminate facial blemishes. A visit to a dermatologist is recommended.

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@thegreatestgift.com. 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.