WWE legend and actor John Cena has revealed a deeply personal health scare that has reshaped his daily habits and inspired a new advocacy role. Cena, a 17-time WWE world champion, shared that he was diagnosed with skin cancer twice after spots on his chest and back were found to be cancerous during routine checkups.
“I received the phone call twice, ‘Hey, you’ve got to come back, because the biopsy came back cancerous,’” Cena recounted. The experience was sobering and life-changing, prompting him to take skin care, especially sun protection, seriously.
Now the face of Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70 campaign, Cena admitted he previously “neglected” SPF. Since his diagnosis, he has applied sunscreen daily, calling it an act of “gratitude.”
Cena aims to challenge the gender gap in SPF usage. Research shows women are more than twice as likely to wear sunscreen as men. According to the CDC, only 12.3% of men aged 18 and older regularly used sunscreen in 2020, with the lowest usage among those aged 18–29 (8.2%).
He believes SPF needs to be normalized in male self-care. “Skin care is a more palatable subject amongst women,” he said. “Men especially are becoming more conscious of self-care… we just need to make it more commonplace.”
A 2025 Talker Research survey found nearly a third of respondents never visit dermatologists, and women are more frequently advised to wear SPF than men (27% vs. 18%).
Cena emphasizes that the reason for wearing sunscreen—whether to prevent cancer or avoid wrinkles—doesn’t matter, as long as people use it. “It’s like going to the gym for looks but getting the health benefits too,” he noted.
He urges men to keep sunscreen beside their toothpaste and apply it daily. “It’s super easy,” he said. “I’ve done complicated stuff with health and nutrition. Wearing SPF is as simple as brushing your teeth.”
His message is clear: don’t wait for bad news. Be proactive now.
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