John Cena has opened up about the one thing he wishes he had known about skin protection before being diagnosed with skin cancer.
The WWE star revealed he was diagnosed with skin cancer after a dermatologist removed a spot from his right pec.
It was the first of two cancerous growths that would lead Cena to overhaul how he looks after his skin.
“I received the phone call twice, ‘Hey, you’ve got to come back, because the biopsy came back cancerous,’” he told USA Today. “That information is sobering, and it right there prompted me to change my life.”
The 48-year-old explained that another spot, this time near his right shoulder, was removed a year later. “It shows up like a white polka dot on the side of my chest and on my shoulder,” he shared with PEOPLE. “If you watch WWE, you’ll be able to see them.”
The Peacemaker actor has reflected on the diagnosis and admits that he neglected his skin for most of his life.
"I was stubborn. I didn't want to have a routine, and I also thought the problem would never reach me. And it's one of those things where I had a ton of exposure with minimal protection and it caught up with me," he said.
He shared that sun safety wasn’t emphasized when he was growing up, and even after moving to Florida, he didn’t use sunscreen.
Now, as the face of Neutrogena’s new Ultra Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70 campaign, Cena is trying to make sure others don’t make the same mistake. He’s made sunscreen part of his daily routine and wants to help normalize that for others, especially men.
“SPF is more common in the vernacular of women, and that’s because it is directly correlated with beauty,” he said. “Men, especially, are becoming more conscious of self-care. I just think we need to make it more commonplace.”
He compared sun protection to working out, adding: “You can go to the gym for aesthetic purposes, but the reward of training goes far more than just aesthetic beauty. I think SPF is in the same lane.”
As someone who’s devoted decades to physical fitness, the F9 star emphasized how easy and important wearing sunscreen is.
“I've done some pretty aspirational things in the strength and health department, as far as nutritional choices and training regimens, and that’s really complicated, difficult stuff,” he shared. “Wearing sunscreen is just like brushing your teeth.”
The experience has changed more than just his skincare habits. “My perspective on life has changed, but it took some real sobering news,” he revealed. “I don’t want anybody to get there, so I’m just trying to use my platform to get ahead of that one.”
Cena also credited his dermatologist for helping him through what he called an “overwhelming” time.
“My great dermatologist held [me] by the hand and let [me] know that [I] wasn’t alone,” he said. “As much as I learn about the stats, those numbers don’t mean anything. The best way to hammer home a point is human-to-human connection.”
Now, in what he describes as a “great space,” Cena is channeling his message through his work and preparing for a major milestone in his wrestling career.
In April, Cena made WWE history by becoming a 17-time world champion at WrestleMania 41, officially surpassing Ric Flair’s long-standing record.
Now on his final run with the company, Cena is set to retire from in-ring competition by the end of the year. After hanging up his boots, he’ll remain with the business in an ambassador role while turning his full attention to his acting career.
Reflecting on life transitions, Cena shared a quote from David Brooks’ The Second Mountain: “The word ‘retirement,’ to me, simply means acknowledging and accepting that you’re closing a chapter and opening another one.”
“This is a thing that a lot of folks go through, and it’s a normal progression in life,” he said. “It’s closing a chapter, continuing to be curious and finding that second mountain to climb.”