Use of acryl as a material for nail extension started by chance. It happened in 1954, in Philadelphia, Fred Slack, a dentist, was the beginner. Once he hurt his finger nail while working. He took a piece of solid foil, made the first false nail in the world and covered it with restorative material. He filed it and was surprised at the result ' the nail looked naturally and the pain passed at once. The dentist carried on his experiments using acrylic toothpaste and nail forms. Soon his brother Tom joined him and they patented their invention ' first nail forma and acrylic composition for nail styling - Patti Nails. Then it goes Glamour Nails and Mona Nails. These brands dominated on nail business market more than 10 years to the beginning of 70s. Thus acryl started its history in nail strengthening and extension.
Acrylic nails got popularity incredibly quickly. However due to imperfection of the extension process and the material itself that was the procedure far not everyone could afford. Acrylic nail extension took long hours, the material was out of control, hardened in seconds and filing was a mere torture for both client and master. Because of all these difficulties, bad smell and damage the natural nails got while extension, acrylic nails got bad reputation. There were also cases of hard allergy and other skin diseases. Causer of all that was main component of monomers (liquids for making mixture with acrylic powder) methylmethacrylate. After some researches had been conducted it was found out that methylmethacrylate was the strongest toxic agent. It was the critical moment for false nail industry. New researches and searches of alternative agent were started. This agent was found at last. It was ethyl methacrylate, completely safe for health in contrast to methylmethacrylate. That was the way out for nail industry. The new agent had lots of advantages, there were no difficulties with filing anymore, nails looked more natural, except it ethyl methacrylate made natural nails stronger. Methylmethacrylate was generally prohibited in 1974. Now acryl is the most popular material for nail extension, it perfectly hides all defects of natural nails.