John Cena had a hair transplant: "I was trying to hide my hair loss"
John Cena, 48, gets vulnerable about aging and his decision to retire from the WWE.
The wrestler-turned-actor revealed he had a hair transplant in 2024. He admits fans pointing out his bald spot prompted him to quit concealing his thinning hair and think about his next stage of life.
“As I was trying to hide my hair loss, the audience was bringing it to light,” Cena tells PEOPLE. “I saw their signs that said, 'The bald John Cena'. 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.”
After getting the procedure done, the wrestling legend says he wishes he had got it done sooner, despite the negative stigma that comes with getting hair loss treatments.
“I hate the fact that if there wasn't so much shame around it,” Cena says. “I'd have gotten it done 10 years ago. I thought I was alone, but seven or eight out of 10 (men) suffer from thinning or baldness.”
The “Peacemaker” star says the hair transplant “completely changed the course of my life.”
The 17-time WWE world champion also gets candid about why he’s ready to leave the ring for good. Cena announced he will retire by the end of this year.
He told the outlet, “Age plays a factor. I'm not as strong or as fast as I used to be. I made a promise when I started gaining some notoriety that when I'm a step slower, I will go, because there will be kids just as hungry as I was who have earned a shot to see if they can make it.”
His post-retirement plan? Cena says he wants to spend quality time with his wife, Shay Shariatzadeh.
“My health and my dedication to my partner are the tip of my spear in life right now, so I think every time I go out (in the ring), I just want to make sure I'm able to give my all, but it's time to step away,” he said.
In the final stages of his wrestling career, Cena’s goal in this next stage of life is to “remain curious and healthy,” adding “that’s physically, spiritually, mentally.”
