Susuk

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In Malayan culture, susuks, or charm needles, are needles made of gold or other precious metals, which are inserted in the soft tissues of the face to act as talismans. The practice pre-dates the Islamicization of the region, and is prohibited by Islamic scholars as haraam. Susuks have various supposed purposes, ranging from the purely aesthetic to the treatment of joint pain and other minor ailments or to protect against injury and accident.

With the advent of medical uses of radiography, the presence of susuks must be taken into account, as they may be mistaken for undesired foreign bodies.