From the point of view of enhancing or extending one's earning potential not much difference. Slippery slope between exercise, using technology to improve one's important parameters (strength, speed, looks, etc.), and taking steriods, cosmetic surgery........ they are all a means to an objective to me more valued by the market.

there may be higher risks associated with Steroid use and abuse, but cosmetic surgery is not risk free. However some things are are worse for you than others. Taking steroids improperly can lead to physical problems with liver, altered thyroid function, depression, nausea, etc..

professional athletes who take known steroids for purposes of muscle rehabilitation, etc are not doing much different from having physical therapy... if it is proaperly administered, monitored, and managed. Like any drug steroids can be helpful for certain issues, and can be abused, leading to dangerous results. There are complications from cosmetic surgery and fatalities do occur. no surgery is risk free.

Steroids are not legal in most and amateur professional sports ... so that may be the biggest difference... but if steroids were administered under rules and regs like cosmetic surgery usually is, no real difference.

The problem is, athletes must conform to the rule of the formal competition they are in or be disqualified. Models do not compete in a formal competition in which they are required to perform in their natural states, atheletes do. That is the major differences between steroids and cosmetic surgeries.

Another thing is that cosmetic surgeries are not illegal, using steroid is. And even though it is legal, it would be prohibited in the sports anyway, so using steroids is still cheating

As for the risk involved, I believe they are almost the same. Some cosmetic surgeries are quite dangerous and harmful to health too, especially when they are excessively done. And oh yeah, cosmetic surgeries can make you look like monster instead of a princess.

Hmm. That's actually a very good, and tricky, question.

To me, the difference is that athletes are competing in a high-stakes game with rules. Yes, you could say models are competing as well, as there are only so many contracts out there, and so much money to be made, but I would say athletes are cheating at the rules. Models are enhancing themselves, but there's no rule saying they can't. Legal or illegal, steroid use is dishonest because everyone knows when they play the game that players are expected to play to the best of their own physical ability, with no chemical enhancements. Honest players are thus at a huge disadvantage, as they did the moral thing by complying with the agreed upon terms. The players who cheat with steroids are no better than players who cheat any other way, whether they do something behind the ump's back, kneecap another player, or whatever else. Cheating is dishonest and the sign of a lousy sportsman. This particular type of cheating also devalues honest players, who cannot play as well, thus impacting their ability to earn money. All models can chose to get surgery if they want to be competitive, but an honest player will take the hit and stick with the rules.

If you don't want to play by the rules, don't play. There's hardly any honor in professional athletics any more as it is. It's absolutely disgraceful that someone would cheat and then claim a place of honor in the record books. They should have the decency to let honest players be recognized for their honest achievements.

They are actually very similar. I personlaly do not see a difference in them. They are both enhancements and they are both drugs and not natural.
Injecting steroids or injecting Botox... the same.

I definitely see your point, and I don't necessarily disagree. However, with sports you have record times for human achievement. When you get those "hottest people of all time" lists, they are obviously subjective. No one is supposed to argue with or question the records and rankings in sports because they're supposed to be "fair and square." When someone has an unfair advantage, is can bring disrepute to the ranking system.

Cosmetic Surgery is not illegal, perhaps a better comparison would have been "How is steroid use by a professional athlete different than cocaine for a model".

This is the crux of the problem. If steroid use was legal I would have no problem with it and I think those who used it when it was legal should get a free pass.

I also have no problem with any of the following steroid alternitives.
http://aresteroidslegal.com/anabolic-steroids-alternative#more-50

What I think upsets people is athletes getting a free ride when it comes to taking illegal drugs.