John Cena Reveals Skin Cancer Scare and Urges Fans to Use Sunscreen

John Cena may be known for his strength, charisma, and invisibility gimmick—but now, he’s using his platform to shed light on something a lot more personal: skin cancer.

In a new interview tied to his partnership with Neutrogena’s “Sunscreen You Can’t See” campaign, Cena opened up for the first time about a frightening chapter in his life—a skin cancer diagnosis that led to two spots being removed from his chest and shoulder.

“It wasn’t until I went to a dermatologist and got a skin checkup and had a cancerous spot removed from my right pec,” Cena revealed to People. “I was very lucky to have a great dermatologist who kind of, I guess for lack of a better term, held me by the hand and let me know that I wasn’t alone.”

The moment hit hard. After the initial removal, Cena got a follow-up call no one ever wants to hear: “You got to come back in.” One year later, he had another cancerous spot removed near his shoulder.

“If you watch WWE, you’ll be able to see them,” Cena said of the visible reminders. “I wear them as a reminder of, ‘Hey man, you need to take the extra few seconds to protect yourself every day.’”

The WWE legend admitted he grew up never wearing sunscreen, saying his mom had her hands full raising five boys in Massachusetts. Later, after moving to Florida, he “fell in love with the sun” but completely “neglected” his skin. He confessed, “I was stubborn. I didn’t want to have a routine… I thought the problem would never reach me.”

Now, Cena is putting self-care first and spreading the word. Even though Neutrogena originally brought him on to play off his “You Can’t See Me” gimmick, the campaign took a deeper turn once Cena opened up mid-shoot.

“It wasn’t until about halfway through filming the campaign that I was brave enough to share my story,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to hopefully be a mouthpiece to get people to use sunscreen.”

Cena’s advice for anyone thinking sunscreen is optional? “Just get out of your own way.” He compared it to brushing your teeth—simple, necessary, and life-extending. “It’s not something you should exercise to just make you look more beautiful. It’s something you should exercise to allow you to be who you are for a longer period of time.”

From wrestling arenas to skincare campaigns, Cena’s message now hits on a much deeper level.

Have you experienced a health scare that changed your routine? Do you think public figures like Cena help push these conversations forward? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.