John Cena Shares the One Regret He Has About His Hair Transplant (Exclusive)
John Cena opens up in PEOPLE's cover story about undergoing a hair transplant
He shares the one thing he would do differently regarding the decision
The WWE superstar is currently on his farewell tour as he nears retirement from the ring. He's also starring as Peacemaker in the HBO Max series, returning Aug. 21John Cena has a whole new perspective after undergoing a hair transplant in November 2024.
In a candid interview in this week's cover story, the wrestler-actor, 48, gets vulnerable about a topic most shy away from: hair loss.
He admits he started taking his hair health seriously after a push from his WWE fans. "They've held me accountable. They don't let you get away with phoning it in, because they'll eat you alive," he says. "That's what a good support system does."
'As I was trying to hide my hair loss, the audience was bringing it to light," he continues. "I saw their signs that said 'The bald John Cena.' They pushed me into going to see what my options were and actually do some homework to learn about scalp health, hair health, follicle health. I now have a routine: red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, shampoo, conditioner and I also got a hair transplant."
He's quick to clarify he doesn't consider anything the fans did as "bullying."
"Just like a good friend, when you have something in your teeth, they pull you aside and are like, 'You have something in your teeth,' " he says.
Cena loves his new look but only has one regret: "I hate the fact that if there wasn't so much shame around it, I'd have gotten it done 10 years ago," he says. "I thought I was alone, but seven or eight out of 10 [men] suffer from thinning or baldness."
He pauses to remark how 'fired up' he gets about the topic. "They don't do anything except move your hair, one by one, from one area to another. It's my hair and I'm not using this stuff [on the side] and I'd like to put it up [on the top]," he says. "If somebody's going to sweat me for that, I don't think there's any shame in that. It completely changed the course of my life.'
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
After his surgery in November, he notes there was a tough period when progress was slow to show.
"I came back for the [WWE] retirement tour starting in January — these are the deets you guys don't know — there's what's called a dormant phase, where the little hair [that was left] falls asleep and the new hair falls asleep. So boy, do you get bald," he says. "And January, February, early March was my dormant phase. And boy, did [the fans] let me have it. So every day I knew I went out there with so much more of a bald spot. It was not easy."
He still has about five or six months in his growth cycle until he'll fully praise his doctor publicly, but he's passionate about sharing his story in the hopes that it helps others.
"There's definitely a lot of folks out there that are wearing that blanket of shame where, man, maybe you don't want to shave your head. And if this resonates with anybody out there and they're like, 'Man, I'd like to research that too,' then cool. Maybe we have curbed the shame and the guilt about somebody wanting to correct themselves."
He's also appreciative his new look will give him more range as an actor. "A different hairstyle can identify a part that can get me more work, do the thing I love to do," he says. "So I can continue to follow my passion just by moving [my hair] up here."
He's equally passionate about sun safety — he revealed his past skin cancer diagnosis in March and recently had his third spot removed.
'I know, eventually, we're all going to close our book, but if a little bit of sunscreen and a little bit of minoxidil, some vitamins, is going to keep me feeling pretty good and keep my health — those are good things,' he says. 'I love life, and I got love in my life, and I want to keep all that stuff.'
The love in his life these days includes wife Shay Shariatzadeh, an engineer he met while watching the Super Bowl in Vancouver in 2019.
'My health and my dedication to my partner are the tip of my spear in life right now," he says.
Fans can still see Cena hitting the WWE ring ahead of his retirement by the end of the year. He's also reprising his role as Peacemaker in season 2 of the hit HBO Max show of the same name, premiering Aug. 21.
'It's a great show that's more than just action. It's a love story. It's a workplace comedy. We're the long shots, the lovable losers," he says of the series. He and costars Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Holland 'support each other and allow each other to take big swings. It's fun.'
Peacemaker season 2 premieres August 21 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.
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