Russ wanted something to depict the energy of trying very hard to change. That is the active shedding of skin. Coincidentally my experiment of inserting Mars into his sun sign (which is objectively a pretty superficial act) resulted in the way I felt about it at a glance. Such pain can't always be prevented though. I didn't realize that I myself was in a similar situation, just not actively aware of how necessary it was to put some effort into my own change. Maybe there'll be some more clarity on this in the coming years, but it was a major privilege for me to be entrusted with this job. This is the type of work I care about most.