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Dear Reverend,

I used to be a nail-biter, but to get over the habit, I started getting manicures with acrylic nails. I usually go with a shorter, oval shape, but I really love the long, stiletto styles and I'd like to try them out. However, I have both male and female lovers, and I'm worried about accidentally hurting them during sex. Got any finger-tips?

Shelly Ack (woman, 26)

Dear Shelly Ack,

From buttoning a shirt to wiping your bum, doing anything with extra-long nails takes practice. However, that trial and error is much less scary when you're typing on a computer keyboard rather than fiddling around with someone's delicate private bits.

These days, most people think of high-heeled shoes when they hear the word "stiletto." The term originally referred to a 16th-century dagger that was used as a stabbing weapon — not so sexy. Stiletto nails are, like the dagger, long and very pointy at the tip.

To avoid inadvertently stabbing your partner, never lead with your nails. Whether your prestidigitation involves a penis or a pussy, make sure your angle of approach is more parallel than perpendicular. You want to use the pads of your fingers, or your palms and knuckles, to apply pressure to sensitive areas.

You could also opt for a mix-and-match manicure. Get the stiletto nails on your nondominant hand and keep your dominant hand a shorter style. Some people prefer to keep the nails short only on the fingers they use the most for sexy time. Anything goes, really.

Probably the most important advice I can give is to take it slow and be gentle. Communicate with your partner to make sure everything feels good. Some people might enjoy a light scratch here and there from your new nail-blades, and the only way to find that out is to ask.

Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend