Did your doctor not actually say what it is???. I know my skin has developed Rosacea out of nowhere but my age prbably has to do with it and hormonal changes. I was going to say generally E45 cream is quite good or S*****UG Dry Skin Cream their own brand. They are not medicated in any way. Hormones can bring up things and wreak havoc with skin and hair. Or ask at a pharmacy.
My excema started in my 40's & comes & goes 
Cortisone cream works for me but only a strong prescription one ....... I've found that EA eight hour cream works too, its expensive but lasts for ages 
My eczema started when I was about 60 so it certainly can start any time! It's small red, rough patches that itch like mad but I wouldn't say it stings (unless I've gone too mad scratching it!!) At first I found T*sco sensitive baby lotion was good, but then it stopped working. Nivea cream is quite good but the best is cortisone cream. Luckily I don't get it on my face but on arms and legs mainly. I find it often comes in symmetry.
Towery, I tried Dove as it'ds supposed to contain moisturisers & my skin gets quite dry and I found it just gave me dryer sore patches on my face. I've even given up on soap now as it drys me out & I use a cream cleanser instead
I have had dry patchy skin in the past. I used E45 cream and Vitamin E oil capsules to clear it (just pierce the capsules and smooth some of the oil on the patches). Cleared up quickly. I only used the oil at night as it does take a wee while to absorb into the skin.
Aloe vera gel is good too.
Facial wipes are dreadfully drying to the skin.
I use an organic baby wash to cleanse my skin. The type that is used for babies baths. But only buy an organic one with natural ingredients and no chemicals (Earth Friendly Baby, Green People, Bentley Organic Baby Wash etc). Easy to buy on Ebay or shops such as W**trose.
Likewise use an organic moisturiser, ideally non scented - Faith in Nature etc. Dove and even E45 are loaded with chemicals.
Specifially use a borage/starflower based cream on the itchy bits. The best one I ever used was called ARU cream - although now renamed as AR2 cream. Its a thick ointment with the herb borage as its base element. I used that on my eczema a few years ago an it cleared within 3 days and never came back
My mum did similar. She'd always liked gardening and all of a sudden she was allergic to primulas. She'd grown them every year before then and her hands and arms became all red and itchy. She was in her sixties!
Yes skin can react funny like that,,, i always remember being out in my dads garden and brushing lightly against something,, next minuite i came up in all these massive hive shapes on my arm!!!!. Then after a while they just went away!!!. You can become allergic at any time and any age aven with things or products you have used for years.
