Just when you thought that John Cena couldn’t get any greater, the follicly challenged fighter has continued to share his hair-raising journey with the world, proving that the most manly of men are the ones that can show their vulnerable side. Still, a recent viral photo of the “You Can’t See Me Star,” where the 17-time WWE champ did a bold move, and went completely bold in public, has everyone asking: what exactly is “FUE” treatment?
John Cena’s Hair Loss Journey and Why It Resonates With Men
Cena, who is 49 and retired from WWE in late 2025, told People magazine that he’d originally tried to hide his hair loss, but being under the spotlight meant that pro wrestling fans just wouldn’t let it slide. “As I was trying to hide my hair loss, the audience was bringing it to light,” he explained. “I saw their signs, that said, ‘The bald John Cena.’ They pushed me into going to see what my options were.” Cena confirmed that he underwent a hair transplant last November. “I hate the fact that if there wasn’t so much shame around it, I’d have gotten it done 10 years ago,” he added. “I thought I was alone, but seven or eight out of 10 (men) suffer from thinning or baldness.”
How Does an FUE Hair Transplant Work?
While hair loss affects both sexes, men are particularly susceptible. For some men, hair loss can occur as early as their late teens, but 35 tends to be the most common age, and two thirds of American’s will have experienced some level of loss by this age.
The purpose of FUE procedures is to replace the dead spots with healthy follicles taken from elsewhere. Usually, a donor area of the scalp is sighted, and this is generally located at the back of the head, because a large volume of hair grows naturally there
Who Is a Good Candidate for FUE Hair Restoration?
FUE is suitable for those who have hereditary hair loss, but is not generally suitable for alopecia, due to the bald patches that this condition creates. And, since the procedure is a cosmetic one, it can be costly. The average price of a hair transplant ranges from $4,500 to more than $12,000 and can take a couple of attempts to get the desired appearance of a full head of hair. ) Attaining success with FUE also requires a consistent scalp care regime. “I now have a routine: red-light therapy, minoxidil, vitamins, shampoo, conditioner,” Cena told People.
Round 2 of FUE Treatement and this time I went all in for best possible results. Thank you @KenAndersonMD and the staff at Anderson Center for Hair for accompanying me on this journey! pic.twitter.com/0Gpareki5U
— John Cena (@JohnCena) June 29, 2026
How many rounds of Follicular Unit Extraction are required?
Most patients require just one or two sessions of FUE to achieve greater hair density because, incredibly, a standard round of FUE harvests between 1,500 to 3,000 hair grafts in a single 8- to-10-hour procedure
While John Cena appeared bald in the image taken on the day of his second session, this was only because his hair had been shaved ahead of the procedure. “Round 2 of FUE Treatment, and this time I went all in for best possible results,” said the big man in his viral X post, reaching millions of views within minutes. Cena also thanked his doctor Ken Anderson MD, and the staff at Anderson Center for Hair, for their support.
Fortunately, Cena’s chances of success are high, since he puts the same commitment into his scalp as he does with every other area of his high achieving life. “Your commitment to the process and long-term hair health has made all the difference,” commented Dr Anderson, in response.
While Cena’s journey for greater hair growth is a deeply personal one, the fact that he’s opened up and shared the process with millions of similar sufferers around the world will inspire men everywhere to be a little more vulnerable. Thank you, Super Cena!
