Which planet shows skin?
Not so long ago, I asked my students which planet shows the skin, and the answers were not as homogeneous as expected. The answer to this question is clearly stated in the Jyotish classics, including Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śastra by sage Parashara.
In the shloka dedicated to the saptadhātu or seven (sapta) tissues (dhātu) in the body, Mercury represents skin (Sanskrit tvag). As Mercury is of a prithvi (earth) element, it is also our skin, as a container, that holds our body. As such, Mercury is the one who gives us form/shape as well.
