Laura,

I wondered if you'd have to keep changing the packing. My poor mom, rest her soul, had to change my dressing and pack my wound each day. Same thing, they want it to heal from the inside out.

As far as washing your hair every other day - go for it, that's the norm for me. Having such long hair I've been told I shouldn't wash it every single day anyhow (tough for me when I was a teenager). I just pin it up when I take my shower so it's out of the way.