Not a popular choice on this site but you shouldn't need padded shorts at all. Never worn them, never will, never lubed my arse for any reason.
If you are missing a layer of skin than that says friction to me. things like gel seat covers and loose fitting padded shorts that allow movement of the skin against the shorts cause that.
You do need to be careful about getting shorts that don't have seams in the wrong places. Some tenderness is inevitable, but if you ride enough it gets less noticeable.
The wrong saddle can make life miserable, but