Jada Pinkett Smith debuts shaved head after decades of changing hairdos

Jada Pinkett Smith has wowed fans with the unveiling of her new hairdo—or should we say, new 'head-do'. 

The American actor said farewell to her quarantine pixie cut, showcasing a stunning buzzcut to her 10.9m Instagram followers. 

In the sweet photo, a shaven-head Jada can be seen with Willow Smith against a background of floral shrubbery. It seems her 20-year-old daughter was the inspiration behind the decision, which represents far more than a new hairdo. 

"Willow made me do it because it was time to let go BUT … my 50’s are bout to be Divinely lit with this shed," she captioned the image, which was originally posted on Willow's account. She also added a short video of her refreshed look, revealing how it appears from its side angles. 

The symbolism of her shaved scalp may have been hinted at by Willow, whose caption was slightly more cryptic than her mother's. 

"A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return," the R&B singer wrote. 

While the exact reason for the drastic makeover remains unclear, it likely reflects a desire to begin the next chapter on a clean slate. Jada will celebrate her 50th birthday in September, marking the halfway point of a lifetime dominated by monumental highs and crippling lows. 

The Red Table Talk host recently opened up about her struggle with substance abuse, admitting she used to overindulge in alcohol and drugs early in her career. Those days are fortunately behind her, and she has since managed to find healthier ways to express herself, including—you guessed it—funky hairstyles. 

Jada's shaved head shouldn't come as a surprise to her loyal fans, who have grown used to seeing The Nutty Professor star experiment with her locks over the years. From bleached bobs to A-line cuts, the hip mom has rocked a century's worth of hair trends since rising to fame in the mid-90s. It hasn't been easy to narrow down the highlights, but here are some of her most famous styles from the past three decades. 

Jada Pinkett Smith's most memorable hairstyles 

Jada's cotton-candy natural curls in 2020

As one of the last short haircuts to be seen on Jada before the COVID-19 pandemic, this do is hard to forget. Fans went wild for the cotton-candy natural hairstyle, which made their stage debut on the Red Table Talk in January 2020. 

Jada's golden blonde bob in 2019

Another relatively recent look, this golden blonde bob haircut had us all wondering what Jada's haircare secrets were. She paired the sleek cut, which was shaved on the sides, with delicate earrings and simple makeup. 

Jada's wavy black lob in 2017

Jada may have been on a short streak for the past few years, but it wasn't too long ago that she rocked a long hairstyle. She unveiled this jet-black wavy lob on a red carpet back in 2017, proving just about any haircut compliments her stunning bone structure. 

Jada's wavy balayage in 2013

It looks like Jada embraced the balayage hair trend before it was even cool. The actress had her glossy dark hair swept with highlighters for a movie premiere in New York back in 2013, showing everyone just how ahead of the curve she really was. 

Jada's long cornrow braids in 2006

It's been 15 years since Jada showed off these black cornrow braids at the MTV Studios in 2006, and she's rocked braids hairstyles in several different lengths and colors since.