Hand held hair dryer

A hand-held hair dryer which includes a negative ion generator and a corona discharge operating between a pin in the ion chamber and the grid at the outlet of the barrel for injecting a continuous supply of ions into the heated air stream. The hair dryer has an infrared on/off sensor switch which automatically activates the device when picked up by the user and a separate cooling switch to lower the heat level while maintaining the same air volume. The hair dryer includes a self-contained cord retractor which employs a fail-safe microswitch preventing operation unless electric cord is fully unreeled. Separate push button controls and readouts covered by a single membrane are attached on the body of the unit to control speed and ionizer function.