Podcast
Beauty & The Brain®
Hosted by William C. Croley , Jerry Drinkard · EN
Welcome to Beauty & The Brain, the podcast where we take a deep dive into the fascinating world of medical aesthetics! I'm Dr. Chris Croley, and I'm joined by my co-host Jerry Drinkard, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Together, we co-own Skin & Tonic, a medical spa that's passionate about providing the latest and greatest treatments to help our clients look and feel their best.
We started this podcast out of our love for medical aesthetics and our desire to share our knowledge and insights with others. Every week, we'll be discussing new trends, sharing our thoughts on controversial topics, and keeping you up to date on the latest technology in the industry. But we won't just be talking to ourselves! We're excited to bring in experts and industry leaders to share their perspectives and insights with our listeners.
Our goal is to provide a podcast that's authentic, informative, and genuinely helpful for anyone who's interested in beauty and wellness. Whether you're a beauty enthusiast or a medical professional, we hope you'll tune in every week to learn something new and join us on this journey of discovery.
So, if you're ready to dive into the world of medical aesthetics, join us on Beauty & The Brain, and let's explore this fascinating industry together!
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Truth About Cortisol, Stress, and Feeling “Off”
1w ago00:24:47Tap to summarizeThis week on Beauty & The Brain, Dr. Chris Croley is joined by Allie Ballew, NP, filling in for Jerry Drinkard, NP, for a smart, approachable conversation with endocrinologist and geneticist Dr. Fady Hannah-Shmouni.Together, they explore why hormone health has become such a major topic in aesthetics, functional medicine, wellness, and longevity—and why it can still feel confusing for both patients and providers. Dr. Hannah-Shmouni explains how hormones shift throughout the day, why timing matters when testing cortisol or testosterone, and how serial tracking may give a clearer picture than a single lab result.The episode also dives into the controversial term “adrenal fatigue,” the rise of biohacking, AI-powered hormone tools, and how patients can use better data to understand stress, sleep, menstrual health, performance, and overall wellness.One of the biggest takeaways? Before jumping into advanced optimization, start with the foundation: better sleep.Guest: Dr. Fady Hannah-ShmouniShop Eli Health's real-time cortisol test: https://eli.health/products/cortisolJoin our community on IG: https://www.instagram.com/myelihealthAnd on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/elihealth?originalSubdomain=caFollow Fady on IG: https://www.instagram.com/drshmouni/Join presale for testosterone/progesterone:https://eli.health/products/progesteronehttps://eli.health/products/testosteroneFollow Beauty & The Brain for more conversations on aesthetics, health, confidence, and the science behind looking and feeling your best.
Transcribe →Is It Aging… or Is It Menopause Face?
2w ago00:18:33Tap to summarizeThis week on Beauty & The Brain, Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP are joined by Allie Ballew, NP from Skin and Tonic Med Spa for a real conversation about “menopause face” — that moment when your skin suddenly feels drier, thinner, looser, duller, or just not like you anymore.The team talks through why these changes happen, including collagen and elastin loss, declining estrogen, skin thinning, pigmentation, dryness, and laxity. They also share how they think about treatment planning for perimenopausal and menopausal patients, from VI Peel and Sculptra to NeoGen, lasers, PRP, hormone optimization, peptides, and at-home maintenance.They also go beyond the face, discussing how hormonal changes can affect confidence, sleep, brain fog, sexual health, and tissue quality throughout the body.Follow Beauty & The Brain for more conversations that make beauty, aging, wellness, and confidence easier to understand — and a lot more fun to talk about.
Transcribe →Retinol, Smoking, GLP-1s & Sun Exposure: What Impacts Your Recovery?
3w ago00:17:13Tap to summarizeWhy do some people heal faster than others after aesthetic treatments? This week on Beauty & The Brain, Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP, discuss the many factors that can impact healing, including medications, supplements, retinols, smoking, nutrition, hormones, GLP-1s, sun exposure, and post-care compliance.They also explain why two patients can have the same procedure but experience very different recovery timelines, and why being honest with your provider is key to safe treatment planning and better results.This episode covers healing after treatments like PLEXR, CO2 laser, chemical peels, fillers, regenerative therapies, and more.
Transcribe →We Ignored the Red Flags… and It Cost Us
May 700:18:52Tap to summarizeThis week on Beauty & The Brain, Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP, are talking about vulnerability—not in the emotional buzzword kind of way, but in the very real moments where trust, money, expectations, and decision-making all collide.Chris and Jerry share a candid behind-the-scenes story about a business decision involving new aesthetic technology, what went wrong, and how it became an expensive reminder to ask better questions, look at the data, and not ignore red flags just because something feels exciting.They also flip the conversation to the patient perspective. When someone comes in for a treatment recommendation, they are trusting their provider with their appearance, their budget, and their confidence. That trust matters—and it should be handled with transparency, honesty, and realistic expectations.In this episode, you’ll hear why patients should feel comfortable asking about training, experience, risks, and outcomes; why providers need to be honest when something is new; and how transparency can protect relationships even when results do not go exactly as planned.Follow Beauty & The Brain for more smart, honest conversations about aesthetics, skin health, confidence, and the real-life lessons that happen inside and outside the treatment room.
Transcribe →What’s Really Aging Your Face? Providers Explain
Apr 3000:18:28Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Beauty & the Brain, Dr. Chris Croley, Jerry Drinkard, NP, and Allie Ballew, NP, talk about why aesthetic treatments are not one-size-fits-all.Many patients come in wanting the same Botox, filler, or treatment their friend had, but every face ages differently. The team discusses how they evaluate concerns like pigment, texture, laxity, fat loss, facial structure, and skin quality to create personalized treatment plans that actually match each patient’s goals.They also explore how advanced imaging and AI skin analysis can help guide consultations, why patient goals matter just as much as provider expertise, and how long-term treatment planning can create more natural, balanced results.
Transcribe →Is Red Light Therapy Worth It? The Truth Behind the Hype
Apr 2300:14:42Tap to summarizeThis week on Beauty & The Brain, we’re talking all about photobiomodulation, also known as red light therapy.Dr. Chris Croley, Jerry Drinkard, and Allie break down what red light therapy actually does, why it has become so popular, and how it may support collagen production, healing, inflammation, and even hair growth. They also discuss the difference between medical-grade devices and the red light masks, caps, and panels you see online, plus what consumers should know before spending their money.If you’ve been curious about the hype around red light therapy, this episode gives you a practical, evidence-based conversation on what may make a device effective and when this treatment can be a smart addition to aesthetic care.If you want, I can also make these a little more clicky, more SEO-heavy, or more casual to sound like your usual Beauty & The Brain style.
Transcribe →You Hit Your Goal Weight… So Why Do You Look Tired?
Apr 1600:16:41Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Beauty & The Brain, Dr. Chris Croley, Jerry Drinkard, NP, and Allie Ballew, NP, discuss the aesthetic impact of weight loss, especially in patients using GLP-1 medications like Ozempic.They talk about the disconnect between reaching a goal number on the scale and actually feeling happy with how the face and body look afterward. From facial volume loss and sagging skin to muscle loss, crepey texture, and dull skin, this episode explores the changes that often catch patients off guard.They also share why it is so important to plan ahead during a weight loss journey and discuss treatment options that may help support skin quality, collagen production, facial balance, and body confidence along the way.This is a must-listen for anyone considering medically assisted weight loss or wondering how to stay looking healthy, refreshed, and supported throughout the process.
Transcribe →The Hidden Danger of Numbing Cream No One Talks About
Apr 900:17:09Tap to summarizeDr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP dig into a topic that doesn’t get talked about enough in aesthetics: lidocaine toxicity.Numbing cream and injectable lidocaine are used every day in aesthetic medicine, but this episode explains why “routine” doesn’t always mean risk-free. Chris and Jerry walk through how toxicity can happen, what makes certain situations more dangerous, and the early signs that providers need to recognize before a complication becomes catastrophic.They also cover:why large body surface areas, occlusion, and higher concentrations increase riskhow topical numbing changes the safe threshold for injectable lidocainewhat symptoms can show up first, including metallic taste, tingling, anxiety, and ringing in the earswhy some aesthetic procedures require extra cautionhow providers can think more carefully about comfort, dosing, and patient safetyThis episode is especially valuable for aesthetic providers, injectors, and anyone interested in the safety side of cosmetic medicine.Follow Beauty & The Brain for more honest conversations with Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP on beauty, health, safety, and confidence.
Transcribe →Does the Nefertiti Neck Lift Actually Work? Here’s the Truth
Apr 200:13:27Tap to summarizeDr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP take on one of the biggest aesthetic trends making the rounds online: the Nefertiti neck lift.This week, they explain what this treatment really is, how it works, and why the results are often much more subtle than social media makes them seem. They walk through the role of the platysma muscle, how toxin can reduce downward pull along the jawline and neck, and which patients are most likely to see improvement.They also get into the important part most people miss: this treatment does not fix loose skin. If skin laxity, “turkey neck,” or weight-loss-related changes are the bigger issue, neurotoxin may need to be combined with other options like devices, biostimulants, or skin-tightening treatments for a better outcome.It’s a practical, honest conversation about realistic expectations, patient selection, side effects, and how experienced injectors think beyond trendy treatment names to build better full-face and neck plans.Follow Beauty & The Brain for weekly conversations on aesthetics, beauty, health, and confidence with Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP.
Transcribe →I Got Fired Overnight… Here’s What Happened Next
Mar 2600:23:03Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Beauty & The Brain, Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP, talk candidly about something a lot of people experience but few talk about openly: getting fired, losing a role unexpectedly, and the financial and emotional fallout that follows.After Chris shares the shock of recently losing an anesthesia contract, the conversation turns into a bigger discussion about what real security actually looks like. They unpack the stress of sudden career disruption, the difference between cutting expenses versus creating new revenue, and why building savings, transferable skills, and multiple streams of income can completely change how you recover from a setback.They also connect it back to the aesthetics space — including the surprising reality that many patients don’t give up their aesthetic treatments as quickly as you might expect, even when money feels tight.This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered:How secure is my job, really?What would I do if my income changed tomorrow?And am I building a life that depends on one paycheck — or one that can pivot?It’s honest, practical, and full of perspective for providers, business owners, and anyone thinking more seriously about financial resilience and career flexibility.Follow Beauty & The Brain for more conversations on beauty, business, health, and confidence.
Transcribe →