DR. WALLACE: I'm ashamed to admit that I am a 15-year-old girl and I still wet my bed once or twice a month. I live with my mother and my grandparents, and my grandmother thinks that I will grow out of this problem. Grandma always takes my side when an accident happens, and she tells me not to worry. She even hustles to do the laundry right away for me. I really appreciate her kindness about this, but I am still horrified that this happens at all, especially at my age.

The thing that really bothers me is that I can never spend a night at a friend's house because of my problem. It only happens once every two weeks or so, but I could never take a chance and spend a night away from home. I'm so humiliated, frustrated and tired of having this problem. I think that I should see a doctor, and I hope you agree with me because both my grandmother and mother think you give good advice. — Suffering From a Sad Problem, via email

SUFFERING: I agree that you should visit a doctor as soon as it can be arranged. It's possible that your problem can be corrected immediately with proper treatment, which may include medication.

These are difficult times, but there are doctor's offices that are open. Have your mother check to see if your family doctor can see you soon to begin your journey toward the help you need.

Once you make progress and overcome this malady, your confidence and self-esteem will rise, and you'll feel much better about yourself. Hang in there, and know that this happens to other teens as well, and even some adults.

KISSING WAS FORBIDDEN

DR. WALLACE: The cute guy I'm dating has developed a cold sore on his lip. It's ugly, and, of course, I had recently been kissing him — more than once or twice! I heard that cold sores are contagious but usually not that serious. My aunt told me that cold sores are a form of herpes, which is a sexually transmitted disease. She claims that when one has a cold sore, the virus stays in the body forever. Is that true? — Teen Girl, via email

TEEN GIRL: Your aunt is confused. Cold sores are a form of Type 1 herpes. They can look ugly and are highly contagious, but they're not dangerous. Type 2 herpes, better known as genital herpes, is a sexually transmitted disease.

There is no real cure for either type of herpes. In both types, the virus usually lies dormant most of the time and flares up only occasionally. There is documented evidence of cold sores dating back over 2,000 years. The virus caused such a terrible epidemic of lip sores in ancient Rome that the emperor actually banned kissing!

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. Email 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.

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