exporting from the creation kit

[scottstein001]

do I have to export (ctrl f4) my created followers face everytime I use open the esp in the creation kit? If no then why do the textures for the head and body seem to do that after every use of the creation kit. Are there any alternatives to the creation kit itself, as it has many buggy problems? I have just started modding simple things, like followers and changing downloaded followers and I have mixed results of things working exactly like the guides I have read, and other things I spent hours tweaking and digging up info on, only to have found a few solutions to my many problems. Hopefully someone with some experience is willing to help a fellow modder and mod user.