DR. WALLACE: I'm a 16-year-old guy who has recently become sexually active with my girlfriend. At about the same time, my girlfriend started having complexion problems. Because of this she said we can no longer have sex. I keep telling her that having sex has nothing to do with having a poor complexion. She won't believe me.

So, Dr. Wallace, I'm asking you to tell my girlfriend that she needs to see a dermatologist for her complexion problem and that the problem was not caused by sexual activity. — Boyfriend, Saint John, Ind.

GIRLFRIEND: According to Dr. Jeffrey Lauber, a Southern California dermatologist, sexual activity is not to blame for complexion problems and it is important to see a dermatologist as soon as possible.

But I would add that the emotional scars of a teen sexual relationship can be as bad as, or even worse than, the physical scars of acne.

Wise up and stop your sexual activity completely. Somehow I get the feeling that the boyfriend is more interested in his sexual gratification than he is in complexion problems. Think about it.

HAND-WASHING IS VERY IMPORTANT

DR. WALLACE: I appreciate the fact that you encourage teens to wash their hands often to avoid the spread of germs. It's true that the easiest way to avoid infection (including colds) is hand washing. A little soap and water can often prevent what takes loads of time and money to cure. Thorough hand washing isn't simple. Please allow me to present the best way to wash one's hands, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter:

"You must apply soap or detergent to your hands and rub vigorously for at least 10 seconds to suspend the microorganisms (germs). Then rinse them away. Water warm enough (110 degrees Fahrenheit) to cut through grease is best. Water hot enough to kill germs would harm your skin. Germs accumulate around cuticles, beneath your fingernails and in the creases of your hands, so concentrate on these areas. Rinse all soap from your hands to remove as many microorganisms as possible. It is virtually impossible to keep hands germ-free, but it is critical to wash your hands after using the bathroom, before eating food and before going to bed, and, if you are lucky enough to have any, after handling paper money. — Medical Doctor, Miami, Fla.

DOCTOR: Thanks for the useful health tip. Clean hands are important to help keep illness to a minimum.

YOUR BOYFRIEND NEEDS HELP

DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend is very demanding and very possessive. If I even look at another guy, he blows his mind. He will not permit me to wear makeup and he refuses to let me cut my hair. He also tells me what to wear. He gets all paranoid if he sees me talking to another guy. Whenever I go somewhere without him, I've got to tell him where I'm going and with whom. Many times he even spies on me.

Everybody, including my mom and dad, think I should dump him, but I honestly think that I love this guy. Help! — Nameless, Del Rio, Tex.

NAMELESS: Your boyfriend has a serious psychological problem. Unless he gets professional help, he is only going to become more possessive — and he could also become physically abusive. Stop seeing this guy immediately. Love is an empty word if it isn't accompanied by respect. There is no way this guy respects you.

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.