John Cena, 48, has openly shared his long-standing battle with hair loss and how a hair transplant procedure gave him renewed confidence. In a candid interview with People published Wednesday, the 17-time WWE world champion discussed retiring from wrestling, aging, and the personal impact of public scrutiny over his appearance.
“As I was trying to hide my hair loss, the audience was bringing it to light,” Cena said. “I saw their signs that said ‘The bald John Cena.'” He explained that this public attention motivated him to explore solutions for his hair loss.
Cena revealed his current hair care routine, which includes red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, and specialized shampoo and conditioner. In addition, he underwent a hair transplant last November. “I hate the fact that if there wasn’t so much shame around it, I’d have gotten it done 10 years ago,” he admitted.
Initially believing he was alone in his struggle, Cena soon realized hair loss is a common challenge among men. Describing the transplant procedure as straightforward, he said, “They don’t do anything except move your hair, one by one, from one area to another.”
Far from being embarrassed, Cena emphasized the positive impact of the procedure on his life. “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.”
Looking ahead, Cena believes his restored hairline could broaden his opportunities in acting. “A different hairstyle can identify a part that can get me more work, do the thing I love to do,” he added.
Male pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, affects over 95% of men experiencing hair loss, according to the American Hair Loss Association. About 25% of men with this condition begin losing hair before age 21. Treatments include two FDA-approved medications, as well as laser therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and hair transplants.
In recent years, Turkey has emerged as a popular destination for hair transplant surgery. In 2022, approximately one million people traveled to Turkey for the procedure, according to the Turkish Health Tourism Association.
The trend of men investing in cosmetic procedures is growing in the U.S. as well. Data from the 2023 American Society of Plastic Surgeons report shows men accounted for 6% of cosmetic procedures overall. Facelifts among men rose by 17%, nose reshaping increased by 10%, and eyelid surgeries increased by 9% compared to the previous year.
