oddly enough Minoxidil was originally developed to treat high blood pressure rather than baldness. During testing, it was accidentally discovered that the drug had the property of stimulating hair growth. It soon became clear that it was more effective in this side effect than in its primary aim of lowering blood pressure. It caused hair to grow not only on the head but also on the face and other parts of the body. Tests on the drug showed that it guaranteed hair growth even in cases of inveterate baldness , but they also showed that the drug was too powerful and, if taken orally, often produced harmful side effects. As a result, the company decided to produce a less powerful medication in liquid form for external application.