Try this code
<?php
$link = mysql_connect($hostname, $username, $password);
mysql_select_db($database);
if (!$link) {
die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
}
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM messages WHERE reciever=$user");
$row = mysql_fetch_row($result);
echo '<a class="new-message" title="New Message">New</a>';
?>
Your code is improper way because any time you want only one user data than why use while loop?