Scientists hope that a new freezing device that triggers the breakdown of fat could soon provide a non-invasive alternative to liposuction.

The device consists of a chilled plate which is applied to the affected area. Known as cryolipolysis, the technique triggers the breakdown of fat.

It is currently being trialled at four centres in the US on patients who have excess fat on their thighs, abdomen or back.

Douglas McGeorge, past president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, told the Daily Mail that the treatment is designed to damage fat cells so that they wither away.

He noted: "These kinds of treatments are never going to be an excuse for not getting round to dieting. Nor is it going to be a treatment for obesity.

"But if it is like liposuction, it will be great for treating areas resistant to dieting," he claimed.

A recent survey by Opera North, reported in the Daily Telegraph, found that many men want their wives to have cosmetic surgery, with liposuction on their tummy proving the most popular procedure.