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'It's kind of embarrassing': Bad Tattoo Contest winner explains how his tattoo got so bad

Charbonneau was named the 2019 Bad Tattoo Contest winner. His bad tattoo takes up the entire back of his left hand. And he says it has got to go.

SPOKANE, Wash. — A tattoo is supposed to be permanent, but KREM 2 and Advanced Aesthetics gave Richard Charbonneau a chance to erase a mistake. 

Charbonneau was named the 2019 Bad Tattoo Contest winner. His bad tattoo  takes up the entire back of his left hand. He says it has got to go. 

"It's kind of embarrassing for people to see it because they say 'what's that?'," Charbonneau said. 

Charbonneau got his first tattoo when he was 18-years-old. His friend was going to get his own bad tattoo covered up at the time. Since then, Charbonneau wanted more; covering his arms, back and chest with more than 80 tattoos. 

"I've lost count," Charbonneau laughed.  

In 2014, he wanted to add to his body of work by getting a 3D tarantula on his hand. The ink eventually started to spread and the spider tattoo turned into a black, indistinct blob. 

Charbonneau said he could not stand looking at it and attempted to get it covered up. He went with a rose the second time around. And that did not make it look any better. 

Credit: KREM
Bad Tattoo Contest Winner Richard Charbonneau discusses his tattoos.

"It's a shame it didn't work out. I rather have a tattoo there," Charbonneau said. 

Charbonneau will soon have the tattoo removed. His tattoo was voted best of the worst tattoos in KREM 2's Bad Tattoo Contest. 

Advanced Aesthetics will remove his hand-tattoo for free. The procedure can cost a couple thousand dollars. 

"I was very honored. By having the worst tattoo it allows me to get it removed," Charbonneau said. 

Despite having dozens of tattoos all over his body, Charbonneau admits he worried the tattoo removal procedure will be painful, but it will be worth it to never have to look at his bad tattoo again. 

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