(MONEY Magazine) – President Clinton's reported $200 haircut by Beverly Hills stylist Cristophe left us wondering what prices and service the rest of America gets when losing its locks. So we sent a dozen correspondents to more than 100 salons and barbershops across the country, where we found that the cost of a cut varies as much as hairstyles do (see the table). Our most hair-raising finding, however, was that women routinely pay 20% to 40% more than men do at the same establishments, even when they have short hair. "I think it's a rip-off of our gender," says Gloria Allred, a Los Angeles attorney and women's rights advocate. "The issue is not about splitting hairs. It's about economic equity."

Incidentally, Cristophe charges first-time female customers 67% more than men at his shop -- $250 vs. $150. (No one really knows what Clinton paid because he has a personal contract with Cristophe.) Hairdressers defend sexist pricing. Says one Honolulu beautician: "Men are less likely to go into a salon. They'll go into a barbershop instead, so we want to offer them a little inducement to come in." The trade's pricing strategies in general are strange. Some salons give certain cutters titles like senior stylist, allowing them to charge 50% more than others at the same shop. Says Heather Gould, a Chicago fashion coordinator and makeup artist: "People are paying for marketing. Almost all these stylists go to the same beauty schools." Tetra, a Washington, D.C. salon, charges customers varying fees -- $30 to $42 for women, $20 to $32 for men -- depending on how long the stylist has worked just at that shop. Here are three ways to keep from getting shorn: Try to negotiate. Some hair salons that list a range of prices for haircuts will charge a woman with short hair the lowest price for females, sometimes even the same fee as a man. But you usually have to ask. Look for shops offering discounts. Some feature reduced rates for customers who come in during off-peak days such as Monday and Tuesday; the busiest day is Saturday. Other shops cut prices 10% to 30% for people 65 and older. Be wary if you spend a long time in the chair. A shampoo and cut normally takes about half an hour for women and 20 minutes for men. One salon owner who formerly clipped hair at a trendy Greenwich, Conn. salon warned that stylists are sometimes told to stall customers to make them think they're getting more for their money.

CHART: NOT AVAILABLE CREDIT: NO CREDIT CAPTION: What getting clipped costs around the U.S. Women are typically charged 20% to 40% more than men in the same city at medium-and high-priced shops, called fancy and fanciest below; "plain" charges are at neighborhood salons and barbershops. Cities are ranked in descending order of the most expensive fanciest cut in each.