American actor-wrestler John Cena has said that he got a hair transplant last November, admitting that the transformation completely changed the course of his life.

During a recent interview with US-based news portal People, the 48-year-old Hollywood star opened up about aging. “Age plays a factor... I saw (the audience holding) signs that said ‘The bald John Cena’. They pushed me into going to see what my options were. I now have a routine: red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, shampoo, conditioner — and I also got a hair transplant last November... It completely changed the course of my life,” he said.

Cena admitted that procedures like hair transplants are often shrouded in stigma even though balding is a very common problem among men. “I hate the fact that if there wasn’t so much shame around it, I’d have gotten it done 10 years ago. I thought I was alone, but seven or eight out of 10 [men] suffer from thinning or baldness,” Cena added.

“If somebody’s going to sweat me for that, I don’t think there’s any shame in that,” he said.

Cena made his film debut with The Marine in 2006. He made a comeback to acting with comedic roles in 2015 with films like Trainwreck, Sisters and Daddy’s Home. He also earned plaudits for his roles in the Transformers and Fast & Furious franchises. He then played Peacemaker, an egotistical vigilante in 2021’s Suicide Squad. His role was expanded into an acclaimed HBO Max series a year later. Cena is set to reprise his role in Season 2 of the series, set to premiere on HBO Max on August 21.

With his 17th WWE World Championship in April, Cena became the most decorated professional wrestler of all time.