Key Takeaways
- John Cena says two lengthy follicular unit extraction hair transplants with Dr. Ken Anderson have boosted his confidence, opened Hollywood opportunities, and “totally changed” his life.
- After WWE fans mocked his thinning hair, he tried red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, and specialized hair products before committing to a 13.5-hour procedure in November 2024 and an eight-hour follow-up in June to add density.
- Now 49 and temporarily rocking a buzz cut to protect the grafts, Cena is outspoken against the shame around hair loss treatments and stresses that transplants simply move his own hair from one area of his scalp to another.
John Cena spent more than 20 hours under the knife for two hair transplants—and says the results changed everything. The WWE icon revealed that restoring his hair opened new doors in Hollywood.
Cena addressed his newly buzzed head at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25, weeks after undergoing his second follicular unit extraction procedure. The eight-hour surgery, performed in June, targeted one small remaining spot and added more density. It followed a grueling 13-and-a-half-hour transplant in November 2024 that rebuilt thinning areas along his hairline and crown.
“The objective is to get more hair, and this was the best way to do it,” Cena told People. Both procedures were performed by Dr. Ken Anderson at the Anderson Center for Hair in Atlanta. Cena said the first surgery worked so well that he returned asking Anderson to tackle one final problem area.
The doctor agreed—with one condition. Shaving Cena’s head would make it easier to preserve and implant the follicles.
Cena went all in. “I’m rocking this hair thing with the promise that he’s working,” the 49-year-old actor said of his buzz cut. “I have full trust and faith in him with this process.” Cena called Anderson “a master” and credited him with delivering a major personal and professional transformation. “I love the guy,” he said. “He’s totally changed my life.”
The journey began with a brutal reality check from WWE fans. As Cena attempted to hide his thinning hair, audiences showed up with signs calling him “The bald John Cena.” Instead of dismissing the taunts, he started researching scalp, hair, and follicle health.
Cena eventually built a routine around red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, shampoo, and conditioner before choosing surgery. FUE procedures use small surgical punches to remove individual follicular units and relocate them to thinning areas.
Cena has since become an outspoken critic of the shame surrounding hair loss treatments. “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.
He also pushed back against misconceptions about the surgery. “They don’t do anything except move your hair, one by one, from one area to another,” Cena explained. “It’s my hair.”
