DR. WALLACE: You said that, for teenagers, excess oils cause pores to become clogged and the result can be pimples. Where does this oil come from and why don't adults suffer the same problem? What makes us so different? I'm starting to get blackheads and pimples, and this really has me worried. Any help will be appreciated. — Mike, Tulsa, Okla.

MIKE: During that mysterious and special time known as puberty, teens leave childhood behind and become young adults. This remarkable transformation takes years to develop fully. During this time of change, the glands in the skin become stimulated and produce excess oil. Oil is needed to keep the skin soft and smooth.

The oil travels up the hair canal to the skin surface. Excess oil can combine with old skin cells, plugging the pore opening. Exposed to the air, the plug darkens to become a blackhead. As more oil is produced under the blackhead, it enlarges the pore. When bacteria infect it, the blackhead becomes a pimple. It is important to wash your face with mild soap at least three times a day.

It is estimated that 95 percent of all people experience complexion problems at some point I their life. Medical science has made great strides in blackhead, pimple, and acne treatment, so it is important for you to see a dermatologist.

There are many myths about complexion problems, but there is no reason to connect an outbreak with dirt, sex, food or guilt. The real villain is the clogged pore!

BE THANKFUL THAT THEY ARE STILL ALIVE

DR. WALLACE: Ten days ago, my boyfriend and his best buddy were coming home from a party. Both guys had been drinking, but his buddy was totally drunk, which is why my boyfriend was driving his buddy's car. My boyfriend was just a little tipsy.

About three miles from his buddy's house, my boyfriend lost control and the car went into a ditch and overturned. My boyfriend was not seriously injured, but his friend has multiple broken bones and is still in the hospital. Neither guy was wearing a seatbelt. After seeing the wrecked car, everyone was amazed that both of them survived.

Now all the kids at school are saying that my boyfriend is the one to blame for the wreck because he was the driver. Well, he only became the driver because his buddy was so drunk that he couldn't drive. I think my boyfriend is getting a bum rap! He was only trying to do his buddy a favor, but unfortunately, it didn't work.

I think my boyfriend is being blamed because his buddy is a very popular guy at school and a star athlete. My boyfriend happens not to be a "pretty boy" and is not an athlete of any kind. I don't think he should be blamed for the accident any more than his best buddy, do you? — Nameless, Miami, Fla.

NAMELESS: Your boyfriend was guilty of drunk driving and bears responsibility for the accident. That's how it works. His injured buddy is guilty of poor judgment, but unfortunately, he's in the hospital paying the price for it.

Both of these guys were too drunk to drive and should have phoned home for a ride. That's what people should be buzzing about at your school. It's utterly pointless to start throwing blame around after the fact. The accident to prevent is the one that hasn't happened yet.

Drinking and driving are a deadly combination. Be thankful that your boyfriend and his buddy are still breathing. They could have been killed, especially since they were not wearing safety belts!

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.