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Argentina’s answer to Fabio, Rodolfo Valentin grew up in Buenos Aires with dreams of becoming a plastic surgeon. Instead of a scalpel, however, he operates with a pair of scissors and a comb. On the third floor of the prewar Raphael Building, the elevator opens directly into Valentin’s old-world hair studio, where fruitwood-paneled stations and ivory valances draped around beveled mirrors paint a scene that could have been stolen from the first class deck of the Titanic. A mostly mature crowd of neighborhood socialites visit Valentin for his classic, structured cuts and traditional color techniques, but he’s probably most recognized for his designer hairpieces and extensions, for which human hair is gathered from Europe and transformed into chignons, ponytails, and wigs. Men and women with thinning hair and a few younger clients in search of longer locks subscribe to the natural-looking extensions, which are fused to existing hair with a special glue; this “hair infusion” technique, as well as the Japanese thermal reconditioning process (chemical straightening), are the sole nods to a more modern menu. Aside from the hair services, the manis and pedis are pretty basic, but they come with a complimentary bottle of polish for touch-ups. — Molly Noonan

Women whose hair is thinner than they'd like swear by Rodolfo Valentin's time-tested "hair-infusion" technique, for which he's gained a devoted following among brides who want extensions that are indistinguishable from the real deal. He also offers everything from Japanese thermal conditioning to traditional cuts and styling.

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• Perennial Beauty (11/25/02)