The invention of gel nails is credited to American dentist Fred Slack in the late 1960s. After breaking his fingernail at work, he used dental acrylic and aluminum foil to create a temporary artificial nail, which led to the first nail gel patent and the foundation for modern gel nail systems

. Later, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dr. Stuart Nordstrom, another dentist, developed a professional liquid and powder system for acrylic nails and is also credited with inventing the "Gel Manicure," a durable gel nail polish cured under UV light, which became widely popular in the beauty industry

. Tony Cuccio is also a notable figure in the nail industry, known for creating many nail spa products and advancing gel nail technology, but the original invention of gel nails is primarily attributed to Fred Slack

. In summary:

• Fred Slack invented the first gel nail system in the late 1960s by using dental acrylic to replace a broken nail

• Dr. Stuart Nordstrom further developed gel nail polish technology in the late 1970s and early 1980s, creating the modern gel manicure system

• Tony Cuccio contributed significantly to the nail industry but is not credited with the original invention