DR. WALLACE: I live in a rural area and I'm 18 and a half years old. On the weekends, my friends and I will do a little light drinking, usually just two beers each. I know we're not 21 yet, so technically we're breaking the law, but out here where we live, nobody really monitors our situation anyway.

I never really get drunk, and I've never ever been sloppy drunk where I've fallen down or staggered around, but I still am concerned about being a safe driver. So my question for you is, how long should I wait after I've had two beers until I drive my truck? - Rural Teen, via email

RURAL TEEN: First of all, you should not be drinking alcohol at all at your age! You are indeed breaking the law, and I don't condone that, ever. You may think you're fine, and you may think that there is little traffic out your way, but all it takes is one small slip on a dark road somewhere and people could be injured or killed, including you and your friends.

Driving a vehicle is a monumental responsibility. Driving is also a privilege, and that privilege should never be taken for granted.

Now that I've stated my position and pointed out to you why you should not ever get behind the wheel when you've consumed alcohol, I'll provide information about the dissipation of alcohol in a human body.

According to many studies I've read over the years, especially a very interesting one authored by the American Council on science of health, the general consensus is that any individual should abstain from alcohol a minimum of five hours prior to operating. This is important because the consumption of even one alcoholic beverage can affect a driver's judgment and coordination, even if they are not at a level that society may consider them to be "legally drunk."

I FEEL HIS HYGIENE IS QUESTIONABLE!

DR. WALLACE: My younger brother doesn't shower every day, and he does not seem to mind this at all. I've asked him about it, and he tells me that everyone has different needs for showering and that he feels two or three showers a week is enough for him to feel good.

Is this healthy? Can this possibly be bad for him in some way? At least he's a pretty quiet kid, and he does not play many sports at all, so he therefore does not sweat much, I guess. He's into video games and streaming videos that he and his friends spend a lot of time laughing about.

He's now 15 years old, so he's definitely old enough to be able to take care of himself and his hygiene. And I have one more thing to mention on this topic, and that is he often tells me we waste too much water in our house anyway, so he's actually balancing out our usage somewhat. I'm his 17-year-old sister, and I think this is just completely strange. I could never go three days without a shower like he regularly does! — I Find Him to Be Strange, via email

I FIND HIM TO BE STRANGE: I have read reports from some dermatologists that posit that showering every day may be bad for the skin of some individuals because it can remove essential oils and dry out skin, robbing it of the body's natural oils.

Dry skin can in turn at times lead to eczema, skin inflammation and even skin rashes that are both ugly and quite uncomfortable.

Regarding the water usage, your brother is entirely correct. Many households use entirely too much water, and it is always good to conserve water as individuals and family units whenever and wherever possible. However, a comfortable balance should be the goal, and personal hygiene should be attended to as well.

In the end, each individual must make his or her own decisions regarding bathing and showering. For those like you who prefer to shower regularly, it's best to keep your showers to a short duration for the health of your skin and for water conservation.

When it comes time for a birthday or a holiday gift, perhaps you can give your younger brother a toiletry gift set that includes a nice cologne, some body lotion and a good deodorant!

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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