I haven't had my hair dryer for that long but when on fastest setting and medium heat, the element inside is glowing red and the end of the plastic nozzle gets very hot. Is this normal? Am I being paranoid ?!
Most modern hair dryers have a removable filter at the back. If it gets clogged up, airflow is reduced and the element may overheat. You might want to check if you can remove the back and clean the filter.