Where did the head gasket come from? I invest in engine kits from Felpro, and do not have any real issues. The gasket should be the same on both sides, and should only line up perfectly on one side with all the reliefs in the block. A good gasket does not need any sealer to work. There are some instances where when in a bind, some copper sealer could be used to seal up putting on a head, but this is a temporary fix.