Ed Sheeran Shaves Head After Month-Long Battle With Shingles

Ed Sheeran spent the past month battling shingles. He's now shaved his head. The GRAMMY winner shared this news through an Instagram post on Tuesday, April 28.

"I've had shingles for the last month, wouldn't recommend it, but on the mend now," the singer wrote. Shingles happens when the varicella-zoster virus reactivates inside the body—the same virus that causes chickenpox years earlier. It creates a painful rash.

The 35-year-old also showed off a buzz cut. He "wanted to shave it to signify a fresh start." He loves the look and is "thinking of keeping it this way."

Most shingles cases strike people over 50, per the Mayo Clinic. The condition won't kill you, but it hurts. Bad. It sticks around three to five weeks, sometimes longer.

Sheeran dropped his eighth studio album, Play, back in September 2025. His Loop Tour kicked off in January and runs through December, with stops all across the world.

"Restarting the loop tour in a week and a bit, cant wait to get back cracking on that, see you lovely people there," he wrote on Instagram. Shows pick back up May 9 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He took two months off from performing.

He announced more Latin America dates. "More Latam dates, so so excited for that," he wrote. "SO excited to come back and play for you there, some of my fav countries and cities to play shows in, its been too long."

The tour hits Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. In June, it comes to North America. That leg runs through early November before the final show on December 11 in Mexico City.

Other famous people have talked about shingles lately. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said he's dealt with face shingles for eight weeks. "I've switched my meds three times and I got a Botox injection. None of it has helped," Haliburton said on The Pat McAfee Show. 

The Centers for Disease Control wants adults 50 and older to get two doses of the Shingrix vaccine. It prevents shingles and complications. Warning signs? Pain, itching, skin tingling, fever, headache, and chills.