But: contrary to the case of normal baldness, this verse introduces the idea of baldness due to disease, which was thought to make the person unclean. The transition word should indicate this contrast.

On the bald head or the bald forehead: since both types of baldness are being discussed here, it may not be necessary in some languages to distinguish them and mention each one explicitly. The use of “the bald spot” in Good News Translation covers both cases. In some languages one may say “the place where there is no hair” or “the place where the hair has fallen out.”

A reddish-white diseased spot: same expression as in verse 24.

Leprosy: see verse 2 and the introduction to this chapter.

Breaking out …: see verse 12. The repetition of the location of the baldness may be omitted if it would be awkward in the receptor language.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .