Ionic hair dryer vs regular hair dryer, is there really a difference?

The main difference is that ionic hair dryers emit negative ions that supposedly reduce frizz and leave your hair smoother, while a regular dryer just heats the air. In practice, if you have really frizzy or damaged hair you'll notice the difference, but if your hair is normal or already in good condition it's harder to see a dramatic change. What is true though is that ionic ones tend to dry a bit faster because the ions break up water droplets, so at least you save time.