It’s true. No, a dentist didn’t invent the acrylic nail but a dentist did assist in the chemical aspect of the fake nail.
Acrylic nails have been in fashion for years but where did it all start? What is the history of acrylic nails? You do acrylic nails every day, all day. Have you ever stopped to think about their history? Acrylic nails are perfect in aiding to conceal damaged or brittle nails. They are ideal for a client who wants longer nails and wants a bit of an edgier look. Musicians use artificial nails in order to better play their instruments.
But there’s much more to them than that!
What’s the History of Acrylics?
Acrylic nails have actually been around for hundreds of years. Egyptian women used to wear really long fake nails. But, not to have a pretty manicure. They wore them as a status symbol. Some materials they were made of were bones, ivory and even gold. If only nails could be made of gold; we’d be rich!
They wore them to show that they were wealthy because the working class couldn’t have long, delicate nails because of their manual labor but the wealthy could. Did you know that the dental industry had something to do with the invention of the acrylic nail? But how?
The Dental Industry’s Impact on Fake Nails
Artificial nails were around well before Mr. Dentist had anything to do with them. Acrylics were pretty much discovered by accident. In the 1950s, a dentist named Frederick Slack broke his nail and experimented with chemicals and different materials to create an artificial looking nail to go over his old broken one, using dental acrylics. But, in the late 70s, Dr. Stuart Nordstrom, invented the professional liquid and powder system used in acrylics. He is also the founder of CND; a brand we all know and love.
The first fake nail that was seen were the plastic ones that went over the entire nail. Although press-ons are still available, acrylic nails have come a long way since then.
Next time you see your dentist, tell him thanks.
