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WWE Icon John Cena said while growing up he never wore sunscreen and neglected to protect his skin (Pic: Instagram)
WWE superstar John Cena opened up about a past skin cancer diagnosis to bring attention to the importance of wearing sunscreen. Cena, who is also an actor, said in an interview that while growing up he never wore sunscreen and neglected to protect his skin. “I was stubborn. I didn’t want to have a routine, and I also thought the problem would never reach me. And it’s one of those things where I had a tonne of exposure with minimal protection and it caught up with me,” Cena told People magazine.
The 48-year-old said he was diagnosed with skin cancer twice - during a routine dermatological checkup, where a cancerous spot was removed from his chest, followed by a second spot on his shoulder a year later.
The 16-time WWE world champion says he is “very lucky” to have a good dermatologist who helped him process his fear around the diagnosis. “Man, that phone call’s not what you want to get because it is unpredictable and you don’t know how bad it’s going to be,” Cena said. He added that WWE fans can spot the scars from his operations when they watch him on television. “It shows up like a white polka dot on the side of my chest and on my shoulder.”
What is skin cancer?
Skin cancer involves the growth of abnormal cells in your skin tissues. Normally, as skin cells grow old and die, new cells form to replace them. However, when this process does not work as it should - like after exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun – cells begin to grow more quickly, which may be noncancerous or cancerous.
According to doctors, skin cancer spreads to nearby tissue or other areas in your body if it is not caught early. If identified and treated in the early stages, most are cured.
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that forms in cells known as melanocytes; these produce melanin, a brown pigment that gives your skin its colour and protects against some of the sun’s damaging UV rays. This is the most serious type of skin cancer because it can spread to other areas of your body.
What does skin cancer look like?
Doctors say skin cancer looks different depending on what type of cancer you have. There is an ABCDE rule that tells you what signs to watch for:
- Asymmetry or irregular shape
- Border or blurry and irregularly shaped edges
- Colour of the mole
- Diameter which is larger than a pencil eraser
- Evolution leading to enlarged shape and size
Signs and symptoms of skin cancer
The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on your skin — usually a new growth or a change in an existing growth or mole. Other symptoms include:
- A new mole or an existing one that changes in size, shape, or colour, or that bleeds
- A pearly or waxy bump on your face, ears, or neck
- A flat, pink, or red-coloured patch or bump
- Areas on your skin that look like scars
- Sores that look crusty
- A wound or sore that does not heal
- A rough, scaly lesion that might itch, bleed and become crusty
Does sunscreen protect you from cancer?
Experts say in most cases, skin cancer can be prevented, and the best way to do it is to avoid too much sunlight and sunburns. UV rays from the sun can damage your skin and, over time, lead to skin cancer.
Ways to protect yourself from skin cancer include using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a skin protection factor or SPF of 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect against both UV-B and UV-A rays. Apply it 30 minutes before you go outside and wear sunscreen every day, even on cloudy days and during the winter months.
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