1. The surgical removal of excess or sagging skin for the purpose of eliminating or mitigating (decreasing) wrinkles; literally, "wrinkle excision".
2. A surgical procedure to reduce the most visible signs of aging. It eliminates excess fat, tightens muscles in the face and neck, and removes sagging skin.
3. Plastic surgery for the removal of wrinkles, done to make an aging face look younger.

The usual procedure is to open skin flaps near the ears in order to undermine the skin of the cheeks and jaws.

This can be done with incisions adjacent to or within the hairline so that the scars are not noticeable. The area of the eyelids and eyebrows is another area commonly worked on.