John Cena has opened up about getting hair transplants, saying that the decision led to new possibilities in his career.
In an interview with People on Wednesday, the wrestling icon and actor said that he opted to have hair transplants after hearing fan commentary, which also influenced his decision to retire from professional wrestling.
"They're the reason for my optimism, my perseverance, my passion," he said, adding, "They don't let you get away with phoning it in, because they'll eat you alive."
The former WWE champion recalled reading signs that said, "The bald John Cena," from inside the ring.
"As I was trying to hide my hair loss, the audience was bringing it to light," he said. "They pushed me into going to see what my options were. I now have a routine: red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, shampoo, conditioner — and I also got a hair transplant last November."
Reflecting on why he didn't make the move years ago, Cena said public stigma held him back.
"I hate the fact that if there wasn't so much shame around it, I'd have gotten it done 10 years ago," he said. "I thought I was alone, but seven or eight out of 10 [men] suffer from thinning or baldness. They don't do anything except move your hair, one by one, from one area to another."
Cena added that nowadays he gets "fired up" about the topic.
"If somebody's going to sweat me for that, I don't think there's any shame in that," he said. "It completely changed the course of my life."
Cena added that the transplants opened up the possibilities of being cast in more roles.
"A different hairstyle can identify a part that can get me more work, do the thing I love to do," he said.
Cena can be seen in the HBO Max series Peacemaker, where he reprises his role as the egotistical vigilante first introduced in 2021's Suicide Squad, according to Entertainment Weekly. The show also stars Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, and Jennifer Holland.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.