Valeria Lukyanova, 23, has admitted using plastic surgery and Photoshop to cultivate her doll-like appearance – but her tiny waist could also be a result of not eating for weeks.

“In recent weeks I have not been hungry at all; I’m hoping it’s the final stage before I can subsist on air and light alone,” she told the International Business Times.

Ms Lukyanova said she is converting to Breatharianism, a cult that believes food – and possibly water – is not necessary for human survival.

It has been criticised as pseudo-science – with some adherents reportedly dying of starvation.

With her cinched in waist, platinum blonde hair and vacant stare, Ms Lukyanova has attracted international criticism for her self-objectification and obsession with achieving an unrealistic concept of perfection.

In August she was the subject of Vice documentary Space Barbie, which explored her bizarre life and beliefs.

In a previous interview with The Daily Beast, she described herself as “a lecturer on the subject of out-of-body travel” and said that her appearance is a tool to “promote” her “spiritual ideas”.

Ms Lukyanova has a strong following across social media sites, with over 59,000 subscribers on YouTube, more than 9,500 followers on Twitter, and various Facebook pages dedicated to her.