WWE icon and Hollywood actor John Cena has shared that he has been diagnosed with skin cancer on two separate occasions. These experiences have completely changed how he views skincare and sun protection.
The 16-time world champion admitted he used to ignore the importance of sunscreen but is now speaking out to educate others about the risks of too much sun exposure. Cena is using his fame to encourage people to take better care of their skin and protect themselves from the sun.
A painful lesson from the past
In an interview with People magazine, John Cena opened up about his battle with skin cancer, revealing that he “never” used sunscreen as a child.
Growing up near Salisbury Beach in Massachusetts, Cena remembered spending countless hours in the sun without giving much thought to protecting his skin. Skincare, he admitted, was simply not a concern during his younger years.
“My mom raised five boys, and I’m pretty sure she just wanted to keep us alive and healthy,” he said. “Being born in 1977, this was kind of all new knowledge.”
Even after moving to Florida in his twenties, Cena said he remained “stubborn” about skincare, wrongly believing that skin cancer “would never reach me.”
That mindset changed when he visited a dermatologist and had a cancerous spot removed from his right pectoral muscle.
Not long after the first procedure, Cena received a call that many dread—a follow-up request for another check. A year later, he had a second cancerous spot removed, this time from near his right shoulder.
“Man, that phone call’s not what you want to get,” Cena recalled. “You don’t know how bad it’s going to be.” The experience, while frightening, also proved transformative. His dermatologist supported him throughout, and Cena now reflects on the ordeal with gratitude: “I’m so grateful to be able to dodge those two bullets.”
After facing a health scare of his own, John Cena has teamed up with Neutrogena to promote their Ultra Sheer Mineral Sunscreen. The campaign, cleverly named “Sunscreen You Can’t See,” is a nod to his iconic WWE catchphrase “You Can’t See Me.” Through this initiative, Cena hopes to inspire fans to take sun protection seriously and make sunscreen a regular part of their routine.
“Never once did I picture myself as the go-to person for a skincare campaign,” he admitted. “But just because I love what I do and I’ve had the backing of such a dedicated audience, a very unlikely spokesperson is now trying to make a difference.”
Cena, now 47, says he’s gone from “neglect” to “mass protect,” and hopes to inspire others to take that “extra few seconds” to safeguard their skin daily.
