INGHAM COUNTY - On an average day, more than one million Americans use tanning salons.

"I usually tan around two to three days a week," said 21-year-old Casey Tek.

However, the UV Rays Tex receives to get a bit darker increases her probability to developing skin cancer.

"There is just nothing good about tanning beds," said nurse practitioner Christana Inman. "It's a high dosage of UVA and UVB on a completely naked body and it has been a direct link to skin cancer."

Even though Tek realizes tanning beds are not the healthiest way to get some color, she feels it's necessary.

"I know its something I should cut down on but right it's keeping my self confidence up," Tek said.  

And while tanning is just one way to develop skin cancer others can get cancer by simply forgetting to protect themselves while hanging out outdoors.

"I went and seen a dermatologist because I had a spot on my upper left lip and I was kind of concerned about it and he took a bioscopy and it came back as skin cancer," said Marshall resident Christopher Tell.

Tell developed basel cell carcinoma skin cancer — something that could have been avoided with proper protection.

According to Inman, most sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher do an excellent job of protecting against UVB rays, while decreasing the chances of skin cancer. 

"I was always out in the sun and I never used sun screen before," Tell said.  

So to rid himself of skin cancer, Tell went though ten treatments of Xoft, an electronic electronic brachytherapy which is a form of radiation and it is used to treat non melanoma skin cancer non surgically and painless.

And while Tell's treatment was painless, tell says he advises others not to follow in his footsteps. 

"Just wear your sunscreen and a lot of it," Tell said.