By Liz Thomas and Donna Mcconnell
Last updated at 8:56 AM on 11th February 2009

Her face is drawn, her cheeks are sunken and her collarbone is protruding sharply.

To the outside world she looks gaunt and unwell, but it seems in Hollywood the shockingly thin look is back in fashion.

The 23 year-old, who is 5ft 9, has slumped from a healthy size 12 to a size 6-8 in just six months.

Gaunt: Mischa Barton has returned to the shockingly thin look she favoured when starring in teen show The O.C

Thinner: Mischa unveiled her new tiny silhouette at Paris Fashion Week

Miss Barton made her name as the willowy blonde clothes horse in American teen drama The OC.

But when she left the show, she also left behind the skinny teen and got herself some curves.

Unfortunately, the roles began to dry up, and she then stripped off for an ill-advised nude scene in film Closing The Ring.

Last year miss Barton – then a curvy size 12 – was snapped on holiday with cellulite on her legs.

However, the criticism for her new fuller figure appears to have got to her as she showed off a dramatically slimmer silhouette while attending the shows at Paris Fashion Week.

Mischa, seen left last month in Paris, looked several sizes smaller than how she appeared last summer, right

It has been reported that she followed a draconian slimming programme to reduce down to three dress sizes.

However, despite her new slimmer silhouette, she recently insisted in an interview with magazine Cosmopolitan that she doesn’t worry about how she looks.

Mischa’s cellulite was much discussed last year

‘I think it’s cooler when girls look themselves, so I don’t fuss too much about the way I look,” she said.

“I really dress for me. I think it’s important as a girl that the way you dress and the way you look are for yourself and you’re not just trying to please other people all the time.’

Hollywood came under heavy criticism in 2005 as the size zero (UK size four) trend took hold among its starlets.

back then stars such as Nicole Ritchie, Kate Bosworth and miss Barton sported an almost skeletal look, prompting concerns for their health.

But after an angry backlash in favour of the fuller figure, things had seemed to have improved.

Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe, who worked with all three, came under fire for encouraging the super slim image, a claim that she denies.

There were also fears that impressionable young girls would attempt to follow the rigid diets.

despite stars such as Kate Winslet flying the flag for the fuller figure, the skeletal look appears to be back in vogue for the younger generation.

Actresses Lindsay Lohan and Anne Hathaway have also been photographed looking painfully thin.

The revival of American teen favourite Beverley Hills 90210 has also brought a new line up of size zero actresses.

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She looks good but her face is gaunt which suggests the current weight isn’t very ‘natural’ to her. I think people should be whatever size comes easy to them, I’m a slim size 8 and eat like a horse….I guess as long as size 6′s, 4′s, etc are eating, leave them alone. unfortunately, some men, although appreciative of a woman with a good figure, have to realise that post child birth, many women fill out and will never regain the amazing figure of their 20s…. I’m sure though, that with time, such men will fill out too

- Chloe, Scotland, 11/2/2009 09:57

it’s people like perez hilton and other gossip sites, that make her this way.

she gets a hard time for being a size 12 and a hard time for being a size 0.

i don’t understand it?? what is the perfect size then?

- Kate, australia, 11/2/2009 09:54

Lauren, sorry but if your a size 0 (size 4 in the uk) and you do no exercise and eat loads then thats not healthy. Clearly there is something wrong with your metabolism. its not healthy to be a size 4

- charlie, uk, 11/2/2009 09:51

Yowza! she looks hot!!! Hey now..

- Dave, Kent, UK, 11/2/2009 09:36

Aside from her expression in the first picture, I think she looks quite nice.

- Catherine Keating, The States, 11/2/2009 09:23

Now Marie…I live in this area and can assure you sane and good people are to be found. Fear not. one could talk about the hugely overweight people in your area and how immensely unhealthy that lifestyle is, but one will refrain. I will grant you that superficial people are alive and well in this area. one must just endeavor to avoid them. best to your cheese steaks.

- Marie, California, U.S., 11/2/2009 09:14

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Fears for Mischa Barton as she looks shockingly thin